Washington just dropped the economic equivalent of a sledgehammer on Russia’s energy lifeline. A bipartisan group of US senators unveiled legislation on July 14 that would slap tariffs of up to 100% on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, with China and India sitting right at the top of that list.
What the bill actually does
The legislation takes aim at the countries keeping Russia’s energy revenue engine humming. As of early 2025, China and India collectively accounted for approximately 84% of Russian crude oil purchases. That’s nearly the entire customer base.
The proposed tariffs of up to 100% would essentially double the cost of doing business with Russian energy for these nations. Previous iterations of similar legislation suggested tariffs as high as 500% on Russian oil buyers, which makes 100% look almost diplomatic by comparison.
Beyond the headline tariff numbers, the bill also introduces measures designed to penalize entities that help facilitate sanctions evasion — if you’re a shipping company, a bank, or a middleman helping Russian oil find its way to market through creative routing, you’re now a target too.
