Graham responds to Peskov: Russia has learned to live with sanctions, but Trump is changing the game with tariffs

Russia has indeed "learned to live" with sanctions, but with new tariffs against buyers of its resources, the US president Donald Trump is "changing the game", says Republican senator Lindsey Graham. He made this statement after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov for the second time rejected Trump's ultimatum to end the war against Ukraine in 10 days.

"Russia, you are right when it comes to sanctions. You have been able to avoid them, and you have learned to live with them. Apparently, what you don’t understand is that President Trump is changing the game, and he is going to put tariffs on countries who buy your oil and gas, propping up your war machine," the politician wrote.

He suggested that Russia should contact these countries soon to see if they share its "cavalier attitude" on the new restrictions.

Graham added that a "broad majority" of Republicans and Democrats are ready to help the American president in this matter.

On the afternoon of July 30, Kremlin spokesman Peskov rejected for the second time Trump's ultimatum, saying that Russia allegedly "has already developed immunity to sanctions". Earlier, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after a report by the Foreign Intelligence Service, said that the Russians have "really tangible" economic losses due to sanctions against Moscow and its accomplices.

• n July 28, Trump shortened his 50-day ultimatum to Putin: he now gave the dictator "10 or 12 days" to conclude a peace deal, otherwise, secondary tariffs will be applied to buyers of Russian resources.
• The very next day, the US president said that Putin has 10 days to end the war against Ukraine. At the same time, the US President believes that the settlement of the war in Ukraine will take a long time.
• On July 30, Trump decided to impose a 25% duty against India starting August 1, noting that this country buys most of its weapons from Moscow and is the largest buyer of its resources, while "everyone wants Russia to stop killing in Ukraine." Earlier, India's defense minister said that the country will be able to live without Russian oil, if the US imposes secondary sanctions on countries that buy it.