Sanctions against the Kremlin’s energy allies: will Trump support a new US strike against Russia?
2 July 19:02
ANALYSIS FROM 
U.S. lawmakers are preparing to vote on a large-scale package of sanctions that could significantly affect not only Russia but also its key economic partners, primarily China and India. The initiative envisages imposing 500% duties on countries that buy Russian energy resources. Congress is expected to consider the document after its recess in July.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced his support for the sanctions bill in an interview with ABC News. Although the law itself has not yet been approved, it has already provoked a reaction not only in the White House but also in the Kremlin.
Graham reminded us that more than 70% of Russian oil is bought by China and India, thereby financing Putin’s army.
This must stop. We must make the price of cooperation with the aggressor unaffordable. If you do not want a 500 percent tariff, help Ukraine,” the senator emphasized.
At the same time, he noted that the new package provides for exceptions for countries that help Kyiv, even if they partially maintain trade relations with Moscow.
Former State Duma deputy and political expert Ilya Ponomarev, who is now in exile, points out that the sanctions will not be automatic and Trump will receive political leverage, not obligation.
These are not mandatory sanctions. The Senate only gives Trump the opportunity to apply them against China, India, and Brazil. But it all depends on a political decision,” explains Ponomarev.
According to the expert, it would be more effective if sanctions were applied automatically. But to avoid global trade turbulence, the US has chosen a softer approach with flexible exceptions.
Who can receive sanctions “leniency”
According to Lindsey Graham, exceptions may be granted to countries that help Ukraine even if they still purchase energy from Russia.
- European states that provide military support to Kyiv but have remaining contracts for Russian gas.
- India, the largest buyer of Russian oil, but a US ally that provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine and allows European countries to purchase Indian ammunition for the needs of the Armed Forces.
Graham emphasized that some countries have reduced their purchases from Russia. Their position is difficult, but they are useful for Ukraine.
The Kremlin is outraged: “Russophobia and destructiveness”
Moscow has already reacted to the new bill. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov called the idea of sanctions “unconstructive.”
Will these sanctions help to resolve the situation in Ukraine? This is for those who initiate them to decide. Mr. Graham’s views are known all over the world. He belongs to a radical Russophobic group of politicians,” Peskov said.
Impact on the Russian economy
Experts believe that if the law comes into force, the impact on the Russian economy will be significant, but the effect depends on the scale of application:
- Energy exports are at risk: 40-45% of the Russian budget is generated by oil and gas.
- A dropin oil prices, a reduction in foreign exchange earnings, devaluation of the ruble, and an increase in inflationare possible.
- Problems with imports of critical goods: electronics, chips, technology, weapons.
- Complications in military financing: budget cuts for the Russian Armed Forces, the military-industrial complex, the withholding of the military profit tax, and social benefits.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a co-author of the bill, said:
“Energy is the financial backbone of Putin’s army. If we cut it off, the war will stop.
So, the new US sanctions actually create a geopolitical dilemma for countries that have been balancing between Moscow and Washington. China, India, and Turkey all face a choice: trade with the United States or continue doing business with Russia. If the bill is passed in July, it could launch a new wave of economic pressure on Moscow, weakening its ability to wage war in Ukraine.
Author – Daryna Glushchenko
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