US Congress approves 100% tariff law on buyers of Russian oil and gas
The US Congress has approved a law imposing tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries that remain among the top five buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, or that help circumvent energy sanctions. The bill, sent to President Donald Trump for signature, is the legacy of the late Senator Lindsey Graham and could target China, India, and Turkey.
Key points
- US Congress approved a law on 100% tariffs against buyers of Russian oil and gas.
- The bill was sent to President Donald Trump, with the White House saying he will sign it in the coming days.
- Tariffs of up to 100% could apply to countries that remain top buyers of Russian crude and gas or help circumvent sanctions; the president may waive them subject to Congressional approval.
- China imported 585 million barrels of Russian crude, India 453 million barrels, and Turkey 44 million barrels in the first eight months of 2026.
- Hungary and Slovakia could also be added to the list, according to Ukraine's sanctions policy commissioner Vladyslav Vlasyuk.
- The original April 2025 bill proposed automatic 500% tariffs; the final version lowered the rate to 100%.
- The EU has approved a phased ban on Russian gas imports, with LNG under long-term contracts ending January 1, 2027 and pipeline gas under long-term contracts ending September 30, 2027.
Why it matters
The law targets the largest remaining buyers of Russian energy exports, potentially cutting into the revenue Moscow uses to finance its war against Ukraine. By threatening 100% tariffs on China, India, and Turkey, the bill creates significant economic leverage over the three biggest current purchasers of Russian crude. However, a presidential waiver subject to Congressional approval leaves considerable discretion over how strictly the measure is enforced, meaning the practical effect will depend on how the Trump administration uses the powers granted by the law.
What happened
The US Congress approved a law imposing tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries that remain among the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, or that help circumvent energy sanctions against Russia. The House passed the bill on Wednesday, September 16, and sent it to President Donald Trump for signature; the White House said Trump will sign it "in the coming days." The bill is the legacy of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who co-registered it with Democrat Richard Blumenthal in April 2025. The original version proposed automatic tariffs of 500%; the final version reduced the rate to 100%. Separate exemptions are provided, and the president may waive the tariffs subject to Congressional approval.
Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasyuk, commenting to Ukrinform, said China, India, and Turkey could become targets of the new tariffs, and named Hungary and Slovakia as other countries that could be added to the list. According to the facts compiled, during the first eight months of 2026 China imported 585 million barrels of Russian crude oil, India 453 million barrels, and Turkey 44 million barrels. Refined-product flows to Russia have also continued via third countries: 673,000 barrels of gasoline from India, 325,000 barrels from Morocco, 309,000 barrels from Turkey, and 186,000 barrels of diesel from Egypt arrived in or were shipped by sea toward Russia during the same period.
On July 29, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in the US with 60 senators to discuss sanctions against Russia. The EU, separately, has approved a phased ban on Russian gas imports, with the main cutoff for LNG under long-term contracts on January 1, 2027 and for pipeline gas under long-term contracts on September 30, 2027. During January–August 2026, France imported 4.3 million tonnes of Russian LNG, Belgium 3.06 million tonnes, and Spain 2.77 million tonnes.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All four supplied sources are Ukrainian outlets (Ukrinform, LIGA.net, Forbes Ukraine, Suspilne Novyny). Their coverage centers the commentary of Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasyuk as the principal explainer of which countries the new law could target. Ukrainian reporting frames the legislation as a tool to constrain Kremlin revenue and therefore limit Russia's ability to finance the war against Ukraine, emphasizing the September 17 finalization and Zelenskyy's July 29 meeting with 60 US senators as part of the bill's backstory. Coverage details the current Russian crude-import figures for China, India, and Turkey and lists Hungary and Slovakia as additional potential targets.
Where reporting differs
One source fact refers to the bill's originator as "Sergei Lindsey Graham," identifying him as the late senator who initiated the bill, while other facts name him simply as Lindsey Graham without the "Sergei" first name. Separately, sources differ on whether the original 500% tariff figure is presented as "automatic" tariffs of 500% or simply as 500% tariffs, though the headline number is consistent across sources.
Background
The bill was originally registered in April 2025 by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham together with Democrat Richard Blumenthal; the original version proposed automatic 500% tariffs before being reduced to 100% in the final version. The EU has separately adopted a phased ban on Russian gas imports, with LNG under long-term contracts ending January 1, 2027 and pipeline gas under long-term contracts ending September 30, 2027. Several EU countries continued importing Russian LNG during January–August 2026: France 4.3 million tonnes, Belgium 3.06 million tonnes, and Spain 2.77 million tonnes. Refined-product flows to Russia have also continued via third countries, including gasoline from India, Morocco, and Turkey and diesel from Egypt.