US Tightens Pressure on Russian Oil Buyers

GG News Bureau
Washington, 22nd Sept: The United States has taken a tougher position against countries purchasing Russian fossil fuels, with new legislation giving President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on nations that continue buying Russian oil and gas.

The move could have implications for major buyers of Russian energy, particularly China and India, which have played a significant role in sustaining Moscow’s fossil-fuel export revenues since the Ukraine war.

China, India Remain Major Russian Energy Buyers
Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) show that China has been Russia’s largest fossil-fuel customer since January 2023, accounting for 35.3 per cent of Russia’s fossil-fuel export earnings during the period.

India followed with a 20.2 per cent share, while Turkey accounted for 13.8 per cent. Together, China and India represented more than half of Russia’s fossil-fuel export revenues during the period covered by the data.

India’s role has expanded significantly since the beginning of the Ukraine war. Before the conflict, Europe was among the largest markets for Russian oil. Western sanctions and policy changes subsequently reduced European purchases, while India increased imports of Russian crude, attracted in part by discounted supplies.

The shift changed the flow of Russian oil in the global market. As European demand declined, Asian buyers became increasingly important destinations for Russian crude.

US Faces Its Own Russian Supply Links
The tougher US position comes even as Washington retains economic links with Russia in strategically important sectors.

According to US Energy Information Administration data cited in the material, Russia accounted for 33.6 per cent of foreign uranium enrichment services purchased by US nuclear reactor operators in 2025. France accounted for 22.8 per cent, the United Kingdom 18.7 per cent and the Netherlands 10.8 per cent.

Russia’s share has fluctuated over recent years, standing at 34.4 per cent in 2021, 33.1 per cent in 2022, 37.9 per cent in 2023 and 24.8 per cent in 2024.

The figures underline the difficulty of rapidly eliminating Russian participation from strategically important supply chains.

Russian Fertiliser Supplies to US Also Rising
The material also points to Russia’s growing role in US nitrogen fertiliser imports.

According to USDA Fertiliser Transportation Dashboard data cited in the report, Russia accounted for 5.3 per cent of US nitrogen fertiliser imports in 2010. Its share rose to 16.4 per cent in 2019, crossed 20 per cent in 2023 and reached 25.7 per cent in 2025.

The figure stood at 27 per cent in 2026, the highest level in the cited series.

Fertilisers are a critical agricultural input, making the trade relationship significant for food production as well as international commerce.

Tariff Move Could Reshape Energy Trade
The US move comes against the backdrop of a major restructuring of global energy flows since 2022. Russia has redirected substantial volumes of crude towards Asian markets as European purchases declined.

For India, Russian crude became an increasingly important part of its import basket after the Ukraine war, while China remained a major buyer.

The new US tariff authority could therefore affect international energy trade, depending on how Washington implements the measure and which countries are ultimately targeted.

At the same time, continued US purchases of Russian-linked nuclear and fertiliser products demonstrate the broader complexity of reducing economic ties with Moscow. The contrasting trade flows highlight the challenge of balancing sanctions policy with energy security, industrial requirements and agricultural needs.