Trump Warns Nations Trading With Russia of ‘Very Severe’ U.S. Sanctions

United States President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Sunday that any nation engaging in business with Russia would face very severe sanctions from his administration. Responding to inquiries about congressional efforts to intensify pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump expressed approval of Republican-led initiatives, noting that legislation is advancing to impose stringent penalties. He highlighted that the measures could extend to Iran, a suggestion he personally advocated, underscoring a broader strategy to isolate Moscow economically amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Trump elaborated that Republicans in Congress are drafting robust sanctioning laws specifically targeting countries conducting trade with Russia. He reiterated the potential inclusion of Iran in these provisions, stating that nations continuing such dealings would encounter substantial repercussions. This approach aligns with the administration's existing policies, including the imposition of 50% tariffs on India—one of the highest globally—partly due to its acquisitions of Russian energy resources, reflecting a commitment to enforcing compliance through economic leverage.

A significant proposal by Senator Lindsey Graham advocates for a 500% tariff on the secondary purchase and resale of Russian oil, garnering near-unanimous support within the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In collaboration with Senator Richard Blumenthal, Graham introduced the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, which aims to apply secondary tariffs and sanctions on nations that sustain Putin's military efforts in Ukraine through continued funding via oil and gas purchases. The bill has attracted 85 cosponsors in the Senate, indicating strong bipartisan momentum.

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In a joint statement from July, Graham and Blumenthal commended President Trump’s administration for innovative steps toward resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict but emphasized that decisive tariffs against major buyers like China, India, and Brazil represent the ultimate tool to dismantle Putin's war financing. They described these nations' procurement of discounted Russian energy as propping up the aggression, necessitating aggressive countermeasures to hasten an end to the hostilities.

The evolving legislative framework signals an escalation in U.S. efforts to curtail Russia's economic lifelines, with potential ramifications for global trade dynamics. As the administration and Congress align on this hardline stance, affected countries face mounting pressure to reassess their commercial ties with Moscow to avoid punitive actions that could disrupt their economies.

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