Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has backed a proposed US sanctions bill that could impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on India, China and other major buyers of Russian oil, urging Washington to increase pressure on Moscow
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has backed a proposed US sanctions bill that could impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries continuing to buy Russian oil and gas, saying he hopes the legislation is passed to increase pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
Speaking on The Long Game Podcast, Sikorski said, “I hope that the Lindsey Graham bill passes and the US imposes tougher sanctions on Russia.”
His remarks come days after the US Senate overwhelmingly voted 86-12 to advance the bipartisan legislation, formally known as the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, named after the late Republican senator who spearheaded the proposal.
Bill targets buyers of Russian energy
If enacted, the legislation would authorise US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from countries that continue purchasing significant volumes of Russian oil and gas.
India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan are among the countries that could be affected under the proposed measure because of their continued imports of Russian energy.
Supporters of the bill argue that targeting buyers of Russian oil would reduce Moscow’s energy revenues, which they say are helping finance the war in Ukraine.
More from BusinessThe revised legislation also expands sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector and weapons programmes after Trump sought to broaden the bill’s scope.
India among the biggest targets
India has emerged as one of the world’s largest importers of discounted Russian crude since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Along with China, it has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil as Western sanctions reshaped global energy flows.
Earlier this week, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said India and China were the “main culprits” sustaining Russia’s energy exports.
“The bill authorises tariffs of up to 100 per cent… We are hitting China, India… They are the main culprits. They purchase the vast majority of oil and gas and are fueling Russia’s war machine,” Blumenthal said after the Senate advanced the legislation.
He also claimed India’s purchases of Russian crude had fallen sharply following previous tariff actions by the Trump administration, although Indian government and industry officials have disputed that assertion.
New Delhi defends energy policy
New Delhi has consistently maintained that its crude oil purchases are driven by energy security, affordability and market conditions rather than geopolitical considerations.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has previously said the United States had encouraged India to purchase Russian oil in the early stages of the Ukraine conflict to help stabilise global energy markets disrupted by sanctions.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has also said India has never been instructed to stop buying Russian crude, noting that restrictions apply only to dealings with specifically sanctioned entities.
India’s imports of Russian oil have surged over the past four years, making Russia its largest crude supplier for much of the period.
Senate approval still pending
Although the Senate has advanced the legislation with broad bipartisan backing, the bill must still clear additional procedural votes before a final Senate vote.
It would then move to the House of Representatives, which is expected to take it up after lawmakers return from their summer recess in September.
If approved by both chambers and signed by Trump, the legislation would give the US president broad authority to impose or waive tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries importing Russian oil and gas.
The proposal has drawn criticism from some lawmakers, who argue it effectively creates a new mechanism for imposing tariffs beyond traditional trade disputes. Supporters, however, say it is designed specifically to squeeze Russia’s energy revenues and increase economic pressure on President Vladimir Putin’s government.
With inputs from agencies.
