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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know US Senators Unveil Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill; Name India Among Nations Facing Possible Tariffs A bipartisan group of US senators has unveiled a long-awaited bill imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia, naming India among five countries that could face tariffs for continuing to buy Russian oil. Capitol Hill. Photo: Dreamstime The legislation, dubbed by some colleagues the “Lindsey Graham Russia Accountability Bill,” was formally announced on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, July 15, by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen, along with Republicans RogerWicker, Katie Britt, and more than a dozen other lawmakers from both parties. On July 10, just days before the death of Sen. Graham, U.S. SenatorsWicker (R-MS), Blumen- thal (D-CT), Graham (R-SC), and Shaheen (D- NH) had released the following statement: “We are proud to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions legislation forward. We are very pleased with this significant progress and expect to roll out the legislation very soon. As Russia in- tensifies its slaughter of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling the Putin war machine.” The current bill comes promptly after the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, who spent nearly two years negotiating the measure and whom colleagues repeatedly credited as its driv- ing force. Senator Blumenthal, the lead Democratic sponsor, said the bill goes far beyond tariffs, imposing full blocking sanctions on large parts of Russia’s economy, its energy and financial sectors, its defense industry, oligarchs, business- people, and Russian President Vladimir Putin himself. Separately, the bill authorises the administra- tion to impose tariffs, set at a rate above zero but capped well below full value, on countries identified as the largest buyers of Russian oil. Blumenthal named five: China, India, Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan. A related provision targets buyers of Russian natural gas, though it exempts countries import- ing less than 15 per cent of their gas from Russia if they are already reducing purchases, a carve- out that shields most European allies. Senators were clear that the actual rate has not been decided and will be set by the US Trade Represen- tative, not fixed in the bill itself. Blumenthal said he expected it would be set high enough “to discourage China, India, and other major purchasers of Russian oil and gas strongly,” but declined to give a figure. The bill also includes waiver authority, along with reporting requirements to Congress if tariffs are later lowered. Senator James Risch, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he had pushed for a separate provision cracking down on Russia’s “shadow fleet” tankers used to evade existing sanctions and keep exporting oil. Lawmakers stressed that the bill has been significantly narrowed from earlier versions, which reportedly could have applied tariffs to as many as 63 countries. Blumenthal said the current draft focuses on a “very discreet number” of five oil and five gas buyers, with some overlap, a change he said reflected input from the Trump administration, which he said has now endorsed the bill in writ- ing. Senators said they hoped the redesign would win over House Democrats who had criticized the bill’s broader, earlier version. The announce- ment carried an emotional undertone, with sen- ator after senator invoking Graham’s memory. SenatorWicker, who served alongside Gra- ham for over three decades, called it “Lind- sey Graham’s greatest achievement.” Senator Ted Cruz said Graham had person- ally negotiated the bill’s terms directly with President Trump before his death and urged col- leagues to honor him by passing it “overwhelm- ingly.” Senators argued that the bill’s timing is urgent, pointing to what they described as Ukrainian battlefield gains and con- tinuing Russian strikes on civilian areas. Several said they expect the Senate could act before the end of August and that they had received assurances from the Senate Major- ity Leader that a vote will proceed once sufficient support is secured. Asked about President Trump’s suggestion that sanctions on Iran or Hezbollah could be added to the bill, Blumenthal said senators would prefer to move the current text forward rather than reopen negotiations, though he did not rule out separate legislation later. India has so far resistedWestern pressure to curb its purchases of discounted Russian crude, which have surged since 2022 and now account for a significant share of its oil imports. New Delhi has previously defended the trade as a matter of energy security and consumer af- fordability, arguing that it also helps keep global oil prices stable. The bill must still clear procedural hurdles in the Senate and pass the House of Representatives before reaching President Trump’s desk. Earlier, aWhite House official told ANI that the Trump administration has signaled its backing for the sweeping Russia sanctions bill. Responding to a query from ANI on whether Trump would support the bill and whether India could face fresh penalties for buying Russian crude, a White House official said, “President Trump supports the bill.” - ANI By Reena Bhardwaj PHOTO:DREAMSTIME PHOTO:REUTERS/AMIT DAVE/FILE PHOTO PHOTO:SCREENSHOT FROMVIDEO PHOTO:BLUMENTHAL.SENATE.GOV Capitol Hill. A tourist watches the MT Desert Kite oil tanker carrying Russian oil at Narara Marine National Park in the Arabian Sea, Gujarat, India, March 11 , 2026. The late Sen. Lindsey Graham giving his victory speech after the South Carolina primary June 9, 2026. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Special Report News India Times (July 18, 2026 - July 24, 2026) July 24, 2026 7