Dmitri Drobnitsky
Graham’s proposed sanctions bill against Russia has been called “self-destructive economic warfare.”
Senator Rand Paul has criticized the Graham-Blumenthal bill, which would impose 500 percent import duties on countries buying Russian oil and gas if Russia “does not agree to peace in Ukraine.” The bill is being pushed by a bipartisan group led by Senators Lindsey Graham* (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-N.C.). The Democrats’ position is clear: they support the line outlined by the previous administration. But the activities of a number of Republicans led by Graham* are seen by many as a “betrayal of the MAGA agenda.”
In a series of posts on the social network X**, Republican Senator Rand Paul criticized the bill. In particular, Paul wrote: “Graham’s bill will undermine President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Self-destructive economic warfare is not the path to peace.”
And further: “This bill will not force China or India to change their behavior, but it will impose a de facto embargo on ourselves, which will hurt American families.”
Later, Rand Paul added: “Graham’s bill could raise tariffs on allies like Israel and Taiwan by 500 percent, and possibly more. Why are we punishing our friends while pretending that this will hold Russia accountable? This is not a strategy – it is economic sabotage.”
Paul also noted: “Shutting down Russian oil deprives the market of a key source of supply, causing gasoline prices to rise. Analysts warn that a U.S. ban on Russian oil could send prices to $160-$200 a barrel. That’s more than $5 per gallon of gas at the pump.”
Graham* tried to calm his colleagues and voters by proposing to make an exception in the law for those US allies who support Ukraine. The hawkish senator even addressed China in absentia: if you want to buy Russian oil and gas without consequences, help Ukraine.
Paul and Graham* are both influential senators. And both are somewhat outside the mainstream. Paul is known for his pacifist views on international politics and libertarian views on economics. Graham* is a well-known hawk. For him, “bombing the enemies” is always the first way out of any crisis. They represent two extreme points of view. Mainstream decisions in the US have always been somewhere in the middle. But these are hard times, uncertain…
* Lindsey Graham is included in the list of extremists and terrorists of Rosfinmonitoring.
** X, formerly Twitter, is a social network blocked in the Russian Federation for disseminating illegal information.
Kirill Benediktov
