US senator vows to “throttle” Russia’s war machine as House passes tariff bill

On September 16, the US House of Representatives passed legislation giving President Donald Trump new authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that buy Russian oil and gas, in a move aimed at putting further economic pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The bill passed 262-159, sending it to Trump for his signature. The Senate approved the legislation last month, and a White House official said Trump planned to sign it.

The legislation would allow Trump to impose tariffs on the five biggest importers of Russian oil and gas. It would also extend sanctions on Iran until 2031.

China accounted for 51% of Moscow's revenues among Russia's five biggest fossil-fuel importers, according to Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The bill was championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and sponsored in the House by Republican Representative Michael McCaul of Texas. It had been in the works for more than a year but gained momentum over the summer following Graham's death.

McCaul said passing the legislation ahead of the winter months was important to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies before Russia could target civilian infrastructure such as power and water supplies in Ukraine.

“This will hit them where it really hurts and will provide the leverage necessary to get Putin to the table. It’s also going to put leverage on China to force Putin to come to the table because they’re going to suffer under these tariffs as well,” McCaul said.

Key supporters of the bill celebrated its passage. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who led the legislation in the Senate, said: “To the people of Ukraine, you are not alone.” Addressing Putin, he added: “Your economy is reeling. We’re going to throttle your war machine.”

Some Democrats opposed the measure, expressing concern that Trump could misuse the expanded tariff authority.

Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the legislation gave Trump broad new tariff powers while allowing him to waive the sanctions it sought to impose.

Thomas Wright, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution, said the tariff authority was a concern because Trump could use it expansively.

“Trump has shown during his second term that he loves the tariff tool, that he wants to constantly apply it and adjust it for coercive reasons over other countries,” Wright said, questioning whether the symbolic support for Ukraine was worth the risks associated with granting Trump additional tariff authority.

Lawmakers have long pushed for a tougher US stance towards Russia over the war in Ukraine, which has entered its fifth year. Russia has been striking civilian targets in Ukraine with drones and missiles, including trains and gas stations, while Ukraine has targeted oil refineries in Russia.

The House action comes as the Trump administration continues diplomatic efforts over the war. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Moscow and Kyiv earlier this month, while CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow in late August for talks with his Russian counterpart.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Capitol Hill in July and met with dozens of senators ahead of the bill's passage. Earlier this month, his envoy for sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, visited Washington and met with Republican and Democratic lawmakers and government officials.

By Aghakazim Guliyev