US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning that any country engaging in trade with Russia will face "very severe sanctions." This statement comes as his administration, along with Republican lawmakers, is advancing legislation aimed at imposing strict penalties on Moscow. During a press briefing on Sunday, Trump expressed support for congressional efforts to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating, "I hear they're doing that, and that’s okay with me."

He elaborated that Republicans are working on legislation that includes tough sanctions on countries doing business with Russia, mentioning that Iran might also be included in these measures. "So any country that does business with Russia will be very severely sanctioned. We may add Iran to the formula," Trump reiterated.

The Trump administration has already implemented significant tariffs, including a 50% duty on imports from India and a 25% tariff on its purchases of Russian energy. In Congress, Senator Lindsey Graham has introduced a bill proposing a staggering 500% tariff on the secondary purchase and resale of Russian oil. This proposal has garnered strong support within the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Graham, along with Senator Richard Blumenthal, has also introduced the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025. This legislation aims to impose secondary tariffs and sanctions on countries that continue to support Putin's military actions in Ukraine. The bill has received backing from 85 senators.

In a joint statement released in July, Graham and Blumenthal noted, "President Trump and his team have made a powerful move, implementing a new approach to end this bloodbath between Russia and Ukraine. However, the ultimate hammer to bring about the end of this war will be tariffs against countries, like China, India, and Brazil, that prop up Putin's war machine by purchasing cheap Russian oil and gas."