India, China in US crosshairs as Trump backs bill pushing 500% tariffs on Russia's trade partners

In a development that could reshape US foreign trade policy and geopolitical alignments, US President Donald Trump has backed a Senate bill proposing sweeping 500% tariffs on countries maintaining economic ties with Russia.

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The legislation, known as the 'Sanctioning Russia Act', seeks to economically isolate Moscow by penalising third-party nations — including India and China — that continue importing large volumes of Russian oil.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who introduced the bill earlier this year, confirmed Trump's support during an interview with ABC News. “If you're buying products from Russia and you're not helping Ukraine, then there’s a 500 percent tariff on your products coming into the United States,” Graham said. “India and China buy 70 percent of Putin's oil. They keep his war machine going.”

Graham added that the bill has already attracted 84 Senate co-sponsors, including prominent Democrats such as Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), signalling rare bipartisan consensus on tightening economic pressure on the Kremlin.

A companion bill in the House is also gaining traction, underlining growing political urgency in Washington to escalate costs for countries seen as indirectly financing Russia's war in Ukraine.