Trump changes game: Senator Graham warns Russia
Photo: US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (Getty Images)
Russia claims it has learned to live under sanctions. But the Kremlin doesn't understand that Trump’s blow is aimed not directly at Russia but at the consumers of Russian energy, according to a post by US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
Graham, one of the co-authors of a bill introducing secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil, agreed with the statement that Russia has learned to live under sanctions. But now, he said, the rules of the game are changing.
"Apparently, what you don’t understand is that President Trump is changing the game, and he is going to put tariffs on countries who buy your oil and gas, propping up your war machine," the Senator said.
Graham mocked the Kremlin, advising Russian President Vladimir Putin and his officials to turn to the countries that purchase Russian oil, gas, and uranium. Perhaps those countries don’t have "the same cavalier attitude" to the US warnings that the Russian regime has.
"A large bipartisan majority stands ready to help President Trump in this endeavor," Graham added.
On July 30, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed Russia had developed a "certain immunity" to sanctions and was prepared for new economic restrictions. But it’s clear panic is growing in the Kremlin: Russian officials have begun trying to blackmail the US by hinting they may refuse to extend the New START nuclear arms treaty.
Trump had previously announced on July 14 that he was giving Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal with Ukraine. On July 29, the American leader unexpectedly announced that the deadline for the Kremlin had been reduced to 10 days. That ultimatum expires around August 8.
