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“We have done the “nuclear option” sanctions.”

No, the “nuclear option” sanctions would be the ones that Trump has just said he might do - secondary sanctions on any buyer of Russian oil (25 or 50% is what he said, as well as mentioning barring them from business with the USA). That would effectively halt Russia’s oil export revenue cold, in a financial train wreck far more sudden and severe, than what brought down the Soviet Union.

China and India have already both already been tested with American (Biden) sanctions on some of the shadow fleet tankers, and both have shown to be unwilling to broach US sanctions on those small subsets of Russian oil exports.

The bottom line is that US trade is much more vital to all the large buyers of Russian oil - as long as adequate essential quantities can be purchased elsewhere. That was not the case in 2022, but is the case in 2025 - with or without OPEC.

Russia’s financial buffers have been exhausted by the adventure in Ukraine, and they are more vulnerable to an oil revenue shock than ever.

Trump card. Who’s the boss?

No, the “nuclear option” sanctions would be the ones that Trump has just said he might do - secondary sanctions on any buyer of Russian oil (25 or 50% is what he said, as well as mentioning barring them from business with the USA).

BeauBo as usual you fail to provide very little evidence to support your suppositions. I will assist you in this.

The “sanctions” had very minimal effects on Russia's overall oil exports over the past few years other than causing the accounting to go underground making the true numbers nearly impossible to track. The biggest supposed difference is that both India and China are now taking a larger share of known energy exports from Russia. Our EU "partners" have been caught numerous times cheating so who knows the actual extent. But whoever is getting them... years of sanctions have had almost no effect on the actual amount of Russia's energy exports. Any meaningful progress lowering their exports would mean a large increase in worldwide energy prices.

The threats were apparently aimed at China and India.

"Do Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping believe that Trump will actually follow through, and if he does what will it mean for their energy situation?"

"India is expected to import 1.52 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil in March, representing just under 30% of its total arrivals, according to data compiled by LSEG Oil Research."

"With India already not buying crude from Iran because of U.S. sanctions, replacing Russian barrels as well would likely lead to a significant boost to India's oil import costs and a scramble to find alternative suppliers."

"China is less likely to bow to U.S. pressure as it remains the only major buyer of Iranian crude, and is still a top importer of Russian oil, buying up to 1 million bpd from the seaborne market, as well as just under that level via pipeline."

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/trumps-russia-oil-tariff-threat-depends-china-india-reaction-russell-2025-03-30/

So, the big question is whether President Trump is actually serious about this threat to China and India or if he is just posturing to try and appease EU critics which feel that he has been too hard on the puppet grifter in charge of Ukraine. I would remind you that both China and India and our relationship with them have far more important ramifications to the US than Ukraine.