US bill would let Trump impose 100% tariffs on top buyers of Russian oil

A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced a bill that would allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian energy, The Wall Street Journal reported. The decision on whether to impose the tariffs rests with the president.

The largest buyers of Russian oil include China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan, according to Reuters data. The top buyers of Russian gas are China, France, Japan, Hungary and Belgium.

The bill also targets Russian defense, energy and financial organizations, as well as Russia's shadow fleet. Tariffs could be applied not only to countries but also to individuals and legal entities involved in servicing deliveries.

The legislation includes an exemption for countries that import less than 15% of their gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce that share. According to WSJ, this could exempt Japan, France, Hungary and Belgium from the tariffs.

The current version is a compromise that Senator Lindsey Graham reached in negotiations with the administration. An earlier version in April 2025 proposed 500% tariffs on US imports from countries buying Russian energy. The final version leaves the president the power to grant exemptions, but they must be confirmed by Congress.

The bill turns tariffs into a geopolitical weapon — previously they were used only against unfair trade practices, analysts told WSJ.

Former senior sanctions official Edward Fishman told WSJ he feared the law could be used not to pressure Russia but to wage trade wars with allies. Secondary sanctions against specific buyers would be more effective, he said.

President Donald Trump said the administration is considering the bill. “We’re thinking about it seriously — it’s in honor of Lindsey. He wanted it more than anything,” Trump said. Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the bill's authors, died suddenly on July 11 after a trip to Kyiv.

In summer 2025, the Senate was close to passing similar sanctions, but Trump then urged Republicans to delay the vote so as not to interfere with negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.