On September 7, 2025, reporters at the White House asked President Trump whether he was prepared to move into a “second phase” of sanctions against Russia, to which he replied, “Yeah, I am,” without elaborating further. Trump has faced frustration over his inability to halt the ongoing war in Ukraine, after initially predicting he could end it quickly upon taking office in January. Last month, his administration imposed punitive tariffs on India’s U.S.-bound exports, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Trump argued these tariffs had already cost Russia “hundreds of billions of dollars” and defended his record of action. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added that Washington and the European Union could escalate by placing “secondary tariffs” on countries that still buy Russian energy, which would deepen economic pressure and potentially force President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. The report highlights Trump’s struggle to balance bold rhetoric with effective measures in addressing both the Ukraine war and Russia’s global oil trade.
I think the U.S. gov will likely target more nations that keep buying Russian oil, even if it takes away their partnerships with said countries, like what happened to India. The EU may align with the same idea even if they also still need oil. Russia will probably move more towards the Western areas for oil consumption, like China. India will probably push back because of the U.S. pressure. Global energy markets could experience new pushes for buyers and sellers into new and unstable arrangements.