US Cuts Proposed Russian Oil Tariff On India, China From 500% To 100% In Major Relief

Washington DC: The United States has proposed revisions to its Russia sanctions bill that could provide relief to India and China, the world's two largest importers of Russian crude oil.

The updated proposal significantly softens the earlier tariff plan, reducing the maximum proposed tariff on countries buying Russian energy, according to Reuters.

Revised tariff proposal

The proposed legislation aims to impose sanctions on Russian officials while using tariffs to discourage countries such as India and China from continuing to rely on Russian energy imports.

US lawmakers argue that the measures would increase economic pressure on Moscow to end its four-year-long war in Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed an estimated 2 million military lives and caused nearly $200 billion in damage across the country.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled an updated version of the Russia sanctions bill, reducing the proposed maximum tariff on countries importing Russian oil and gas to 100%, a significant drop from the earlier proposal of a flat 500% tariff.

Exemptions and waiver provisions

The revised version also allows an exception for countries that import less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports and are taking proactive steps to reduce those imports, which could exempt Japan, France, Hungary, and Belgium.

Besides, the new version includes a provision that allows US President Donald Trump to waive the sanctions if he deems it in the US national interest to do so.

Trump signals further additions

Meanwhile, Trump told reporters at the White House that sanctions on Iran and Hezbollah might be added to the bill, saying it would be a "very big thing" if those measures were added. The president also expressed optimism that the bill would pass and become law.