US President Donald Trump threatened to use new tariff powers under the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act to help end the war in Ukraine.
The law permits tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five importers of Russian crude oil and gas, which includes India and China.
Trump signed the severe bill into law on Friday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hoped Trump would use it if Vladimir Putin refused to de-escalate.