Trump signs “hellish sanctions” law against Russia with tariffs of up to 500%
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a Russia sanctions bill giving him new powers to impose tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy. The law allows tariffs of up to 100% on such countries and up to 500% directly on Russian goods imported into the U.S.
According to Bloomberg, the law's enactment does not automatically trigger the maximum tariffs. The White House has broad authority to decide which countries to target, how extensive the restrictions should be and whether to use exemptions provided under the legislation.
China and India are among the largest buyers of Russian energy and could therefore become key targets of the new measures. The law also extends tariff powers to countries that help circumvent restrictions on Russia's energy sector.
Buyers of Russian energy face tariffs of up to 100%
The new mechanism allows the president to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries that rank among the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas. Countries involved in circumventing energy sanctions against Russia could also face restrictions.
For goods imported directly from Russia into the U.S., the law provides for tariffs of up to 500%. The new tariff powers are limited to five years.
The legislation faced opposition from U.S. business groups concerned about a further expansion of trade restrictions. Critics also pointed to the law's broad language, which gives the administration considerable discretion in determining the targets of the tariffs.
The Kremlin called the bill's passage an unfriendly move even before it was signed. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said additional U.S. sanctions could complicate negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump gains broad discretion over sanctions
Despite the high maximum rates, the law's actual impact will depend on decisions by the White House. The administration can use exemptions included in the legislation and does not have to impose the maximum restrictions on every country that formally meets the criteria. Reuters notes that the immediate impact could be limited, partly because of the risk of higher consumer prices in the U.S.
The law also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 through 2031. The framework provides for secondary economic sanctions against foreign companies engaged in certain activities with Iran and would otherwise have expired in 2026.
Separately, Washington announced a new Greenland security agreement with Denmark. Trump said the agreement gives the U.S. a permanent role in ensuring the territory's security and restricts the military presence of other countries without Washington's written consent.
The announced agreement could further strengthen the U.S. strategic presence in the Arctic. However, details of the agreement and other parties' interpretation of its terms still require official confirmation.
Earlier, we reported that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for stronger ties with the EU following new tariff threats from Trump. The U.S. president had suggested additional tariffs on the European Union if Washington viewed closer ties between the bloc and Canada as a hostile move.
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