Sen. Lindsey Graham aims for tough new Russia sanctions ahead of G-7 Summit

Kevin Whitelaw, Bloomberg News on Jun 1, 2025

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Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said he aims to have new sanctions imposed on Russia before the Group of Seven summit in late June.

In a joint statement with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, the lawmakers said that Europe and the U.S. should take steps to stop China and India from purchasing cheap Russian oil. The pair traveled to Kyiv together on Friday.

“By the G-7 summit, we hope to have sanctions put in place — in coordination with Europe — to deliver an unequivocal message to China,” they said in a statement Sunday following meetings in Paris with several senior French officials. They said their Russia sanctions bill, which is aimed at cutting off funds for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, now has 82 co-sponsors.

The G-7 summit will be held in Alberta, Canada, from June 15 to June 17.

It’s still unclear whether Trump, who has been pushing for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, is ready to embrace tougher action against Moscow. But in recent days, Trump has been expressing new frustration with President Vladimir Putin.

Graham’s bill, which would impose a 500% tariff on imports from countries that buy Russian oil products and uranium, would likely cause havoc in oil markets.

Graham, of South Carolina, and Blumenthal, of Connecticut, also held a phone call over the weekend with French President Emmanuel Macron.

“We assured President Macron and his team that we believe Putin is playing games regarding peace and is actually preparing for a military offensive in the late summer or early fall,” the pair said. They added that Macron also supports lowering the G-7-backed price cap for Russian oil.

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