Arya News - US Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (recognized as a terrorist in Russia) new Russia sanctions bill that seeks 500% tariffs on the country`s trade partners amounts to an embargo and could trigger an unprecedented economic crisis in the United States itself, Sen. Rand Paul warned on Wednesday.
"While tariffs make wars more likely, embargoes make wars difficult to avoid. Senator Lindsey Graham’s* Sanctioning Russia Act calls for 500% tariffs on dozens of countries and essentially amounts to an embargo," Paul said in an article for Responsible Statecraft. "If this bill were to pass, it would cause an economic calamity on a scale never before seen in our country." Paul believes that while aimed at Russia, the bill also harms US allies and America itself, reflecting Washington"s failed attempts to impose its will on Russia. The senator noted that the bill orders the president to impose 500% tariffs on imports from any country trading key energy resources with Russia with the rate doubling every 90 days and potentially reaching 1,000% within months. Paul pointed out that despite 16,000 sanctions and harsh financial restrictions, the West has failed to change Moscow’s special military operation goals. Paul said that many countries, including US allies and the United States itself, still trade with Russia, noting that in 2024, the United States imported $624 million in enriched uranium and plutonium directly from Russia. Paul believed that the United States would suffer most from this legislation, both economically and strategically. He explained that the tariffs would disrupt trade, raise consumer prices, weaken the dollar, and strain key alliances amid growing geopolitical tensions. Paul said that with $36 trillion in debt and rising challenges, Washington should be boosting alliances instead of pushing partners toward rivals like China with harmful legislation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the policy of containing and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy of the West, and sanctions have dealt a serious blow to the entire global economy. According to him, the main goal of the West is to make the lives of millions of people worse.*recognized as a terrorist in Russia