Graham: Trump will soon approve new anti-Russia sanctions.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced plans for the US Senate to hold debates on a new sanctions bill against Russia immediately after the early July recess, TASS reported.
Graham noted that the session will begin the day after the recess, on July 7. The senator stressed that he intends to advance the sanctions bill in the coming weeks.
“What does this bill do? If a country buys goods from Russia and does not help Ukraine, it will impose a 500% tariff on its products,” he said in an interview with ABC News last night, Sunday.
The senator added that the bill primarily targets India and China, which are importers of Russian oil. According to Graham, the initiative has already been supported by 84 senators from both parties. According to him, the bill includes the imposition of 500% import duties on goods from countries that continue to purchase oil, gas, petroleum products and uranium from Russia. These measures should increase economic pressure on Moscow.
The bill under discussion was introduced in early April by a group of senators from both parties. The main authors of the document were Senators Graham and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat of Connecticut). The plan, among other things, provides for secondary sanctions against Russia’s trading partners. The senators’ proposal included the imposition of 500% import duties on imports from countries that purchase oil, gas, uranium and other goods from Russia.
In early June, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) said that Trump had asked his party members in the Senate not to vote on the bill, which would impose tougher sanctions on Russia, including restrictions on third countries.
Graham: Trump is ready to tighten sanctions on Russia
Senator Lindsey Graham also claimed in the interview that US President Donald Trump believes that the time has come to pass a new sanctions bill against Russia. He noted that he discussed the issue with Trump during a golf game, and that the president confirmed that “it’s time to move forward.”
Graham expressed confidence that Donald Trump would sign the new sanctions bill against Russia if it is passed by Congress. Details of the possible restrictive measures have not yet been specified.
In mid-June, Trump said he did not want to tighten sanctions on Russia because he hoped to reach a deal on Ukraine and resolve the conflict. The US leader added that he would be happy if peace was achieved in Ukraine.