Lead

A US Senate bill that would impose secondary sanctions and tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas has yet to receive a floor vote, and no deadline has been set for its consideration, according to the Axios portal as reported by TASS. The legislation, which appears to have enough support to pass, faces the challenge of securing floor time in the Senate. President Donald Trump has said he is open to signing the measure, though he has stopped short of fully endorsing it and has indicated that some key provisions were not discussed with him.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the bill has varied across outlets. TASS, citing CNN, reported that President Trump intends to support congressional approval of the bill, which would pave the way for tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil. The same report noted that the decision came just days after the death of one of the bill's authors, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Another TASS report, citing Axios, emphasized that there is no deadline for Senate consideration and that the bill "now appears to have the votes it needs to pass the Senate," with the biggest remaining hurdle being floor time. The report also noted at least 61 co-sponsors, enough for passage, and clarified that Trump has signaled openness to signing the legislation.

The Hindu's coverage focused on President Trump's warning that any country doing business with Russia will be "very severely sanctioned," and highlighted the bill's potential impact on India. It reported that the Trump administration has already imposed 50% tariffs on India, and that the proposed legislation has 85 cosponsors.

TASS also reported on China's firm rejection of the bill, with Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian calling it "illegal unilateral sanctions" lacking international legal basis.

Key Claims

  • President Trump intends to support the bill, according to CNN, as reported by TASS. The bill would allow the administration to impose tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil.
  • The original proposal called for 500% tariffs on US imports from countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other commodities, as reported by TASS.
  • The revised bill reduces tariffs to 100% for the five largest buyers, down from 500%, according to TASS. This revision was presented on July 14 by a bipartisan group of senators.
  • The draft would exempt countries that import less than 15% of their total energy supplies from Russia and are taking "significant steps" to cut those imports, as reported by TASS.
  • The bill includes provisions for secondary sanctions against Moscow's trading partners, as reported by TASS.
  • Senator Lindsey Graham was one of the key architects of the bill; his death on July 11 left the bill without its "most fervent Republican champion on Capitol Hill," according to The New York Times, as reported by TASS.
  • China firmly rejects the bill, as stated by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian, reported by TASS.
  • The Trump administration has imposed 50% tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, as reported by The Hindu.
  • The proposed legislation has 85 cosponsors in the Senate, as reported by The Hindu.

Perspectives

United States (White House and Senators)

The Trump administration and Republican lawmakers support tough legislation against Russia. President Trump has signaled openness to signing the bill, despite not fully endorsing all provisions. Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, who co-introduced the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, argue that tariffs on countries like China, India, and Brazil are needed to end the war in Ukraine, referring to it as a "barbaric war" and a "bloodbath".

China

China firmly rejects the bill, with Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian stating that Beijing "resolutely opposes illegal unilateral sanctions, which have no international legal basis and are not approved by the UN Security Council." He emphasized that China will take all necessary measures to protect the legal rights and interests of Chinese companies.