Our Bureau
Washington, DC
US Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stark warning to BRICS nations—India, China, and Brazil—detailing that the continued import of discounted Russian oil could lead to severe US economic retaliation. In a Fox News interview, he stated that President Donald Trump would impose 100% tariffs on these countries, saying, “we’re going to crush your economy” and “tariff the hell out” of them.
Senator Lindsey Graham had earlier proposed a bipartisan bill along with Senator Richard Blumenthal to propose 500% tariffs on goods coming from warned countries, including India, of economic sanctions if they continue buying Russian oil and fund the war with Ukraine.
South Carolina Republican Senator Graham and Democratic Senator Blumenthal are leading 85 cosponsors on a bipartisan bill they introduced in Congress earlier this year calling for implementing sanctions on Moscow, which they say could be a “sledgehammer” President Trump needs to end the conflict.
“We’ll continue to push for Senator Graham & my Russia Sanctions bill with even tougher penalties to deter India, China, Brazil & others from fueling Putin’s war machine. Congressional action sends a powerful message of support,” Richard Blumenthal said in a post on his social media handle X.
As per a joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal, China, India, and Brazil and other nations “that prop up Putin’s war machine” by purchasing “cheap Russian oil and gas”, which they claim is fuelling Putin’s effort in the conflict with Russia. It called for the imposition of tariffs as high as 500 per cent on any country that helps Russia.
Trump announced “secondary tariffs” on Russia during his meeting with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte.
Democratic Senator Blumenthal, in a post, lauded the US President’s decision, calling it a “breakthrough step” while slamming Putin by calling him a “thug”.
He further called for pushing the bill, “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025”, introduced by him and Senator Graham on April 1, noting that the bill will impose “tougher penalties to deter India, China, Brazil” and other countries that are still in business with Moscow.
“The President’s announcement is a breakthrough step–committing to both substantial military aid & strong sanctions. It recognizes the urgency of showing sledgehammer strength–because peace through strength is the only viable strategy with a thug like Putin,” Blumenthal post on X read
A joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal noted that Trump’s announcement was a strong executive measure to push all parties toward negotiations with the true aim to compel Putin to engage in peace talks.
“The ultimate hammer to bring about the end of this war will be tariffs against countries, like China, India and Brazil, that prop up Putin’s war machine by purchasing cheap Russian oil and gas. President Trump’s decision to announce the implementation of 100 percent secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas if a peace agreement is not reached in the next 50 days is a real executive hammer to drive the parties to the negotiating table. The goal is not more tariffs and sanctions – the goal is to entice Putin to come to the peace table,” the statement read.
“Finally, as President Trump indicated, we will join our colleagues in continuing to work with the White House on our bipartisan Russia sanctions legislation that would implement up to 500 percent tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas and do not help Ukraine,” it said.
Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that the Indian embassy and ambassador have been in touch with Senator Graham regarding the bill on Russia and that “India will have to cross that bridge if it comes to it.”
Addressing a press conference, Jaishankar had stated that India’s concerns and interests on energy and security have been made conversant to Graham.
When asked about US plans to impose a 500 per cent tariff on the import of Russian oil, Jaishankar said, “Regarding Senator Lindsey Graham’s bill, any development which is happening in the US Congress is of interest to us if it impacts our interest or could impact our interest. So, we have been in touch with Senator Lindsey Graham. The embassy, ambassador have been in touch. Our concerns and our interests on energy, security have been made conversant to him. So, we’ll then have to cross that bridge when we come to it. If we come to it.”
