Trump says he'll use Graham bill's Russia sanctions 'if necessary'
"Last week, in honor of Senator Lindsey Graham, I signed a powerful new law passed by Congress, providing me with enormous new tariff authorities," Trump said in his address at the U.N. General Assembly in New York. "And, if necessary, I will have to use them. It's time to stop the killing."
On September 22, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he would utilize the tariff powers bestowed upon him by the recently enacted Russia sanctions bill if the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict needed to be resolved. The legislation, championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and endorsed by Trump in the preceding week, permits the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five nations purchasing Russian oil and gas, along with additional measures.
During his address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he honored Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump affirmed, "And, if necessary, I will have to use them. It's time to stop the killing." He addressed an audience comprising Russian and Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. While the speech covered various subjects, from Gaza and the war in Iran to artificial intelligence, Trump also addressed peace initiatives in Ukraine.
"We're working very closely with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, and we will get that one done," he stated, implying a quicker resolution than anticipated. These remarks followed Trump's anticipated meeting with Zelensky, where the two leaders were expected to discuss a potential ceasefire in strikes targeting energy facilities and Black Sea assets.
Recent weeks witnessed the U.S. intensifying efforts to mediate an end to the war, a process that encountered obstacles earlier this year due to Moscow's territorial claims and the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.