The Russian Embassy in Washington issued a warning on September 18 that the recently enacted U.S. sanctions bill targeting Russia could undermine President Donald Trump’s administration efforts to advance its “Make America Great Again” agenda.
In a statement, the diplomatic mission characterized the legislation—approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 16 and later by the Senate—as driven by a “Russophobic impulse.” It asserted that such measures are doing the current administration a disservice in its campaign objectives. The embassy further noted that deteriorating U.S.-Russia relations, alongside growing tensions with China, are being exploited by advocates of increased confrontation across the Euro-Atlantic region.
Additionally, the Russian diplomatic mission warned that restrictions on trade involving Russian oil and gas could lead to higher fuel prices for American consumers ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The bill, named after late Senator Lindsey Graham who died July 11, 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. It was initially advanced by the House Procedural Committee on September 14 and later approved by the U.S. Senate on August 7.
