House Passes Bill Allowing 100% Tariffs on Russian Oil Buyers — SkimNews
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- US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by a 262–159 vote, empowering Trump to impose sanctions on Russia.
- The legislation authorizes tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas, while also targeting Russia's energy sector and shadow fleet.
- The bill specifically names India and China as targets among the five largest importers of Russian energy, threatening steep tariffs on both.
- India's Ministry of External Affairs said it is closely monitoring developments and committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people through diversified sourcing.
- India stated it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its economic interests, signaling pushback before any tariffs are even imposed.
Why it matters: The bill puts 100% tariff authority in Trump's hands against India and China — the two biggest remaining Russian energy buyers — directly ahead of the midterms and a possible China summit, giving him leverage to escalate or negotiate. India has already pre-emptively defended its energy diversification stance, meaning a tariff fight could entangle 1.4 billion people in US–Russia geopolitics they have no stake in.
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