 "Watch: US Senator Lindsey Graham warns India, China of 500% tariff 'sledgehammer' over Russia trade")
As concerns mount over Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, US Senator Lindsey Graham has warned countries, including India, of severe economic sanctions soon.
In an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, Graham disclosed that he and Senator Richard Blumenthal have garnered strong bipartisan support in the Senate for a broad sanctions package aimed at nations supporting Russia’s war efforts through trade, particularly in oil and petroleum products.
“This congressional package that we’re looking at would give President Trump the ability to impose 500 per cent tariffs on any country that helps Russia, and props up Putin’s war machine. He can dial it up or down. He can go to 0 per cent, to 500 per cent. He has maximum flexibility,” said Graham.
Graham specifically called out India, China, and Brazil, criticising New Delhi for buying discounted Russian oil and “reselling” it, which he claims indirectly funds Putin’s military campaign.
“India buys oil from Russia cheap and resells it. That’s despicable,” Graham declared, adding that these nations “are about to get hurt big time if you keep helping Putin.”
He also claimed that the sanctions were actually a “sledgehammer” available to President Donald Trump to “go after Putin’s economy”.
"China, India and Brazil, you are about to get hurt big time if you keep helping Putin"
— 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 (@DefenseDagger) July 14, 2025
- Trump's on-off friend Senator Lindsey Graham pic.twitter.com/HpqHoUkDgd
This push for tough economic measures comes as Trump considers additional aid for Ukraine, with intelligence reports warning that Russia could make significant territorial gains by next year if Ukraine’s drone and artillery supplies remain insufficient.
Graham also teased upcoming announcements about arms sales and redirecting seized Russian assets to strengthen Ukraine’s defences.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Stay tuned for a plan where America will start selling large quantities of weapons to our European allies to help Ukraine,” he said.
He stressed that, with diplomatic efforts to engage Moscow failing, intense economic pressure might be the only way to end the conflict.
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