US Senator Lindsey Graham warned that President Donald Trump will impose stern tariffs on countries that continue to purchase oil from Russia, naming India, China and Brazil specifically in his remarks.
Speaking to Fox News, Graham said, "Trump is going to impose tariffs on people that buy Russian oil: China, India, and Brazil. Those three countries buy about 80 per cent of cheap Russian oil, and that's what keeps (Vladimir) Putin's war machine going. So, President Trump is going to put a 100 per cent tariff on all those countries, punishing them for helping Putin."
Graham said that the Russian President can live through those sanctions and could disregard Russian soldiers. But he said China, India, and Brazil "are about to face a choice between the American economy or helping Putin. And I think they are going to pick the American economy," the US Senator added.
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Graham lambasted Vladimir Putin and said that he is trying to recreate the former Soviet Union by invading countries that are not his. "Putin wants to take countries that are not his. In the mid-90s, Ukraine gave up 1,700 nuclear weapons with a promise that their sovereignty would be respected by Russia. Putin broke that promise," he told Fox News.
{{/usCountry}}Graham lambasted Vladimir Putin and said that he is trying to recreate the former Soviet Union by invading countries that are not his. "Putin wants to take countries that are not his. In the mid-90s, Ukraine gave up 1,700 nuclear weapons with a promise that their sovereignty would be respected by Russia. Putin broke that promise," he told Fox News.
{{/usCountry}}"He's (Putin) not going to stop until somebody makes him stop," Graham added.
The US Senator warned Putin, saying that his "turn is coming" after Trump dealt with the 'incredibly dangerous' Iran. "Donald Trump is the Scotty Scheffler (famous athlete) of American politics and foreign diplomacy, and he's about to put a whooping on your ass," Graham said, addressing Putin directly.
‘Tear hell out of you, crush your economy’
Graham advised Putin that the game has changed when it comes to the Russian President. "You played President Trump at your own peril. You made a major league mistake, and your economy is going to be crushed. We are flowing weapons to Ukraine, so Ukraine will have the weapons to fight Putin back," he further stated.
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According to the US Senator Trump's tariffs on India, China and Brazil would be a direct warning to other nations as well.
"Here's what I would tell China, India and Brazil: If you keep buying cheap Russian oil to allow this war to continue, we're going to tear the hell out of you and crush your economy, because what you are doing is blood money," he added.
"You're buying cheap Russian oil at the expense of the world, and President Trump is tired of this game," Graham said.
He advised Putin to get to the negotiating table as "he's about to get crushed".