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Brazil Faces Potential US Tariffs for Buying Russian Oil, Says NATO Envoy
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The United States is considering imposing secondary sanctions and import tariffs on Brazil for its continued purchases of Russian oil products, according to comments made by US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker in an interview with Bloomberg TV on August 4.
“Secondary sanctions and tariffs against China, India, and Brazil—who are purchasing oil produced by Russia—are an obvious next step in trying to end the war,” Whitaker said.
He emphasized that the sanctions being prepared by the White House, should Donald Trump’s ultimatum expire, would “seriously impact” Russia’s economy, which derives nearly half of its export revenue from oil and gas sales.
Whitaker also stated that a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war could only be reached through diplomatic means, not on the battlefield, and argued that Trump is setting the conditions for such a settlement.
Unlike China and India, Brazil does not import crude oil directly from Russia. However, it ranks as the third-largest buyer of Russian refined petroleum products globally—behind Turkey (26%) and China (13%)—accounting for 12% of such imports.
According to data from the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Brazil imported €443 million ($483 million) worth of Russian oil products in June 2025 alone. Since early 2023, Brazil has spent nearly €20 billion ($21.8 billion) on imports of Russian refined oil.
Earlier, President Trump was reported to be considering a global 500% tariff on Russian oil, targeting not only Russia but also nations like China, India, Brazil, and Turkey that continue to import Russian energy.
