Trump Backs Senate Plan For 500% Tariffs On Countries Trading With Russia

Last Updated:November 17, 2025, 08:22 IST

President Donald Trump backs Senate legislation for tariffs up to 500 percent on countries trading with Russia, targeting China, India, and possibly Iran.

US President Donald Trump

The United States is preparing to dramatically expand its economic pressure on Russia, with President Donald Trump announcing Sunday that he supports new Senate legislation that would allow Washington to impose tariffs of up to 500 percent on countries that continue to trade with Moscow.

“The Republicans are putting in legislation that is very tough… on any country doing business with Russia," Trump told reporters before leaving Florida for the White House. The proposal, driven for months by Senator Lindsey Graham, has gained traction amid frustration in Congress over Russia’s ongoing assault on Ukraine.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in October he was ready to bring the bill forward, but stopped short of setting a firm timeline.

According to Bloomberg, the legislation would empower Trump to impose steep tariffs up to 500 percent on imports from nations that buy Russian oil or gas and are seen as insufficiently supportive of Ukraine. The move targets major purchasers of Russian energy, including China and India. “We may add Iran to that," Trump added, offering no further details.

The push comes as Moscow intensifies its campaign to seize the strategic rail hub of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine while continuing air strikes nationwide. Ukraine has responded with expanded long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities.

For months, Democrats and several Republicans have urged harsher measures, accusing the Kremlin of prolonging the conflict and dismissing diplomatic efforts. Trump had earlier hesitated to back new sanctions while attempting to broker talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His meeting with Putin in Alaska earlier this year produced no progress.

US Tariffs on India

Washington has already acted against India for its continued purchases of Russian crude. In August 2025, Trump signed an executive order adding a 25 per cent “Russian oil" surcharge on top of an existing 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian exports, effectively doubling duties to 50 per cent. The administration said the measure was aimed at countries that “indirectly fund Russia’s war machine."

India has since indicated a reduction in Russian oil imports. In October, Trump said he believed New Delhi had “significantly reduced" its intake and suggested the US could roll back the tariffs. “We’ll bring the tariffs down at some point," he said.

After months of tension, Washington has toned down its earlier confrontational approach, signalling openness to improved trade dialogue with India.

Despite extensive US and European sanctions, Russia continues to sustain large-scale military operations, bolstered in part by deepening energy partnerships with Asian economies that have softened the blow of Western restrictions.

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