New York : The United States has revised a proposed Russia sanctions bill in a move that could ease pressure on India and China, the world’s two largest buyers of Russian crude oil, Reuters reported. Republican and Democratic senators on Tuesday unveiled an updated version of the legislation, reducing the maximum tariff on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas to 100% from the earlier proposal of a blanket 500% tariff.
The revised bill is designed to discourage countries from relying on Russian energy while also imposing sanctions on Russian officials. It also grants US President Donald Trump the authority to waive the sanctions if he determines that doing so serves US national interests. India, one of the largest importers of Russian crude alongside China, could benefit from the changes.
Under the updated proposal, the maximum tariff would apply only to the five biggest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas instead of all importing nations, as envisaged in the original draft. The legislation, originally introduced by late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, continues to enjoy bipartisan support.
Senate aides said the bill currently has 26 co-sponsors, with more lawmakers expected to back it as it advances through Congress. According to Reuters, the revised version is considered more likely to secure passage than the earlier draft. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz was now open to global shipping, except for vessels linked to Iran, and credited the US military for securing one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
The announcement came a day after Trump said the US would become the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and charge a 20 per cent reimbursement fee on all cargo passing through the strategic waterway. Iran mocked the proposal at the time, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying, “20 per cent is of course too much. We will be fair.”
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