Trump Supports Legislation Targeting Russian Energy Importers
Trump signaled support after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced the president had "greenlit" the measure, which permits tariffs reaching 500% on nations purchasing Russian oil and natural gas. Graham co-sponsored the legislation with Democrat Richard Blumenthal last year.
"I support it. I hope we don't have to use it," Trump told a television host during a Thursday broadcast. "You know, we have big sanctions on Russia right now. Russia's economy is very bad, but they are much bigger than Ukraine," he added.
Trump has voiced exasperation over failed diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine throughout the past year, occasionally faulting both nations for the impasse.
Last November, he unveiled a peace framework that Ukraine and its European allies dismissed as tilted toward Russia, while simultaneously accusing Moscow of obstructing negotiations.
Russia countered by charging Ukraine and the EU with presenting unrealistic terms and undermining settlement possibilities.
The US Treasury sanctioned two of Russia's premier energy corporations—Rosneft and Lukoil—this past October.
Earlier this week, the US Coast Guard commandeered a Russian-flagged petroleum tanker in the North Atlantic for purportedly circumventing sanctions, prompting Moscow to denounce the seizure as violating international maritime law.
Russia has consistently argued that Western sanctions primarily aim to crush economic rivals and restrict sovereign nations' development rather than assist Ukraine.
"Their aim is obvious: to cling to their diminishing domination and rob [other] countries of the right to make independent political decisions," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated last month.
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