The European Union is confident it will avoid harsh economic fallout from a U.S. Senate bill proposing 500% tariffs on importers of Russian energy, citing its ongoing efforts to phase out such imports. (Shutterstock)
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The European Union is expressing confidence that it will avoid sweeping 500% U.S. tariffs proposed under a new Senate bill targeting countries that continue buying Russian energy, Euro News reported.
The legislation, backed by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, would impose secondary sanctions to pressure Russia into peace negotiations over Ukraine. The bill has drawn bipartisan support, with over 80 senators signing on.
Despite the threat, European Commission officials said the EU’s gradual shift away from Russian fossil fuels should shield member states from major economic fallout. “We are in the process of phasing out imports of fossil fuels from Russia,” said Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho. “Therefore, this should ultimately not be a problem.”
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Graham on Monday, June 2, to discuss coordinated sanctions, but official statements avoided directly addressing the tariff threat. Pinho also emphasized growing EU-U.S. cooperation despite policy differences.
The bill allows for a one-time presidential waiver based on national security interests, and lawmakers have indicated China and India — not U.S. allies — are the primary targets.
Several EU countries still import Russian energy or operate Russian-built nuclear reactors, but Brussels insists a full break is planned by 2027.
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