According to media reports, the USA, together with other G7 countries and the EU, want to pave the way for higher tariffs on Russian goods.
President Joe Biden wants to ask the US Congress on Friday to suspend normal trade relations with Russia, the Wall Street Journal and the financial service Bloomberg reported, citing informed people.
Formally, it would be about removing Russia's status as a so-called "most-favoured-nation nation."
This principle prescribes the equal treatment of countries in the World Trade Organization WTO with regard to tariffs and other regulatory measures.
From a US foreign trade perspective, suspending normal trade relations would put Russia in the same category as, say, Cuba or North Korea.
Biden could announce the plan at an appearance on US action against the Russian war in Ukraine, scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Central European Time.