US Senator Urges “Bone-Crushing” Sanctions, 500% Tariffs on India and China Over Russian Oil Purchases

US Senator Richard Blumenthal has demanded what he described as “bone-crushing sanctions” on nations including India, China, and Brazil for continuing to import oil and gas from Russia. The statement came shortly after the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, where global leaders expressed unified support for Kyiv.

Blumenthal, who co-sponsored a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill with Senator Lindsey Graham, claimed these countries are “fueling Russia’s war machine” by maintaining energy trade with Moscow. He made the remarks through a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) while sharing photos and videos from the Rome summit, attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European officials.

The proposed legislation aims to impose a 500% tariff on goods imported into the US from countries that continue to purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other major exports. While the bill doesn’t name individual nations, it specifically targets India and China, who together account for approximately 70% of Russia’s energy exports, according to its sponsors.

Blumenthal and Graham have framed the bill as a “game-changer” that would bolster international resolve and provide pressure to bring Russia to the negotiation table. They emphasized that continued purchases of Russian energy by major economies are helping finance Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine Recovery Conference: Global Backing for Kyiv

At the Rome event, Blumenthal described a visible momentum building for the bill, backed by repeated statements of solidarity from European heads of state. “Peace through strength” was the overarching message, he said, reiterating that if Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine, the threat could soon spill beyond its borders.

In a video shared from the summit, Blumenthal noted how inspired he was by the strong collective will in Europe. He and Graham met with Ukrainian leadership to brief them on the sanctions proposal and assured continued American legislative efforts to support Ukraine.

The senators stated that they plan to introduce the bill in the Senate for a vote before the upcoming August recess. They stressed that the legislation will offer US President Donald Trump the necessary “tools and flexibility” to force Putin into serious peace negotiations.

This push shows Washington’s growing frustration with countries that have maintained economic ties with Russia despite ongoing sanctions. Both senators believe that these aggressive measures will not only isolate Russia, but also influence global trading behavior to align with the West’s efforts in ending the war.