The US State Department has indicated that the White House is carefully evaluating the potential economic consequences of implementing secondary sanctions on countries involved in Russian energy trade. These sanctions aim to pressure Russia over the Ukraine conflict, with President Trump issuing a 10-day ultimatum for a resolution to the conflict. The White House said it is considering the potential fallout, including the impact on US allies as well as the possible inflation of global oil prices. The State Department said the White House is not making decisions on the fly.
During a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked whether these measures are “too blunt an instrument,” potentially harming US allies. Bruce responded that the White House has clearly been thinking about this from the beginning, adding that the country is prepared to take whatever steps needed. The White House is weighing the potential for broader economic consequences, including how it could affect global markets.
Russian officials have dismissed Trump’s threats, calling them harmful to peace efforts in Ukraine. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said earlier this month that no additional pressure will derail Russia’s pursuit of its national interests. Trump has acknowledged there is no certainty that his latest pressure campaign will alter Moscow’s approach to the Ukraine conflict.
Meanwhile, foreign policy hawks in Congress are pushing for legislation that would authorize tariffs of up to 500% on nations that continue to import Russian oil and gas. Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the bill’s sponsors, described it as a “sledgehammer” he intends to place in the president’s hands. Analysts have warned that these measures could backfire. China, India, and Turkey — all major buyers of Russian energy — could face sanctions under the proposed policy.
The New York Times warned that such moves could cause global oil prices to skyrocket, adding that secondary sanctions would likely escalate what it described as Trump’s “global trade war.” The newspaper added that earlier efforts by Western nations to limit Russian revenue through an oil price cap “largely faltered.”