Trump wants to exercise ‘sledgehammer’ against Russia
(MENAFN) A new sanctions bill moving through the US Senate would give President Donald Trump powerful tools to target Russia and its trading partners, according to Senator Lindsey Graham. In a CBS News interview aired Sunday, Graham described the legislation as handing Trump a “sledgehammer” to wield against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s economy and the countries supporting it.
Trump has previously stated he may impose further sanctions if Russia and Ukraine fail to reach a ceasefire, accusing Putin of deliberately delaying negotiations. Despite taking a hard stance on other nations, Graham warned that Trump’s relative openness toward Russia “is about to close.”
Co-authored by Graham and Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal, the bill reportedly enjoys strong bipartisan backing, with 85 Senate co-sponsors. It would grant Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries that continue trading with Russia — with Graham specifically naming China, India, and Brazil. The senator emphasized that the legislation would give Trump “maximum flexibility” in applying these sanctions.
Graham also suggested the US is preparing to escalate military aid to Ukraine to unprecedented levels and hinted at plans to redirect frozen Russian assets to Kyiv. “In the coming days, I believe President Trump will have sanctions and tariffs at his disposal unlike any he’s had before,” he stated.
Moscow has denounced the proposed sanctions as unlawful, accusing the West of exploiting the Ukraine conflict to hinder Russia’s progress. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the threatened tariffs won’t fundamentally alter Russia’s course, reaffirming Moscow’s commitment to its “independent, sovereign and sustained path.” President Putin has argued the sanctions have ultimately strengthened Russia by increasing its self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on foreign markets.
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