Republican Senator Lindsey Graham responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of additional sanctions on Russia on April 26 by calling attention to his plan to impose secondary tariffs on countries importing Russian energy products.
Trump hinted at possible sanctions against Moscow in a social media post criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin. "It makes me think that maybe (Putin) doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through banking or secondary sanctions?" Trump wrote.
Graham praised Trump's efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine and said his proposal in the Senate could help advance the administration's aims.
"As to additional sanctions on Putin's Russia, I have bipartisan legislation with almost 60 cosponsors that would put secondary tariffs on any country that purchases Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other products," Graham wrote on X.
"The Senate stands ready to move in this direction and will do so overwhelmingly if Russia does not embrace an honorable, just, and enduring peace."
Graham, alongside Democrat Richard Blumenthal, introduced the secondary tariffs bill in the Senate on April 1, the day before Trump announced sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries — with the notable exception of Russia.
Trump has previously threatened to impose sanctions and economic penalties on Russia but has yet to follow through on those threats.
The administration's push for a peace deal has instead focused on extracting concessions from Ukraine, while the U.S. pursues warmer relations with Moscow.
Trump's comments on April 26 nonetheless mark a rare public criticism of Putin. The post followed a short in-person meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican, where the two spoke following the funeral of Pope Francis. Both leaders said the conversation was productive and constructive.
Graham, a Trump supporter, has long been an advocate of military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. He has praised Trump's peacekeeping efforts while calling for the U.S. to "sanction the hell out of" Russia.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
