Former US President Donald Trump has officially backed a bipartisan bill, dubbed the 'Sanctioning Russia Act 2025,' which proposes severe economic penalties against countries, including India and China, that continue to purchase Russian oil. The announcement was made by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who stated that Trump had 'greenlit' the proposed legislation following a 'very productive' meeting. The bill, co-drafted by Senator Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, aims to grant the US President sweeping authority to impose tariffs of up to 500% on imports from nations that knowingly engage in trade with Russia's energy sector. The primary objective is to choke off Russia's energy revenues, which the US alleges are funding Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine. India and China have emerged as significant buyers of discounted Russian crude since Western sanctions were imposed after the 2022 invasion, with China accounting for nearly half and India around 38% of Russia's crude oil exports in November, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. If passed, this legislation could dramatically escalate trade tensions and diplomatic ties between the US and these major economies. Experts like Catherine Wolfram, a former US Treasury official, have expressed concerns that Russia and India might call the US government's bluff, continuing imports, as the cost to the US for enforcing such threats, especially amid ongoing trade negotiations with China, is substantial. The bill also targets other Russian energy exports like gas and uranium and seeks to expand secondary sanctions on financial institutions facilitating these transactions.