New York: US President Donald Trump Tuesday said he will use, if necessary, the enormous tariff authorities provided to him under a new law to end the “disastrous war” between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump Friday signed the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026′, which authorises the US President to impose steep tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five importers of crude oil and gas from Moscow, including China and India, contending that the trade has been a key source for funding the war in Ukraine.
“We continue to seek an end to the disastrous war between Russia and Ukraine, which is killing tens of thousands of people per month,” Trump said in his address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
“Last week, in honour of Senator Lindsey Graham, I signed a powerful new law passed by Congress providing me with enormous new tariff authorities – and if necessary, I will use them,” Trump said.
“It is time to stop the killing,” he said.
The Act also seeks to impose sanctions on Russia’s leadership and energy sector — as well as on collaborators in Moscow’s defence industry and its so-called shadow fleet.
The Act also exempts the purchase of Russian uranium by the US for its nuclear reactors and medical isotopes requirements, and also activities carried out under US-Russia cooperation in the space sector.
India has said it remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people, and it will continue to do so through diversified sourcing, in response to the US’ Russia sanctions legislation.