Washington attempts dealmaking, Moscow sticks with warmaking
"I can't die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions," Lindsey Graham joked hours before his passing. Nine weeks later, the bill bearing his name became law with the U.S. president's signature. Reflecting the wishes of the American people, Congress placed a very large stick in the hands of the executive: tariffs of up to 100% on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas. It will matter only…
Washington attempts dealmaking, Moscow sticks with warmaking. On the day of his death, Lindsey Graham joked about needing to pass Russia sanctions. The bill named after him became law with the president's signature, imposing tariffs up to 100% on major Russian oil and gas buyers. The Senate passed the measure 86-11, and the House 262-159, reflecting bipartisan resolve.
This law exposes a dissonance in American policy. Russia has been invading neighbors for decades, with aggression going unpunished. The current war in Ukraine is driven by Moscow's belligerent revanchism, not just dislike between leaders. Russian aggression dates back to Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, before Volodymyr Zelensky became president.
In 2021, Putin laid out his genocidal intentions, and the full-scale invasion followed in 2022. Despite the Ukrainian people's expectations, the White House engaged in high-stakes diplomacy with Putin. This logic fails when considering the consequences of pursuing deals. Washington's emissaries have produced results opposite to their stated aims, with Russia continually rejecting ceasefires and committing war crimes.
Jared Kushner's theory of peace fails when faced with Russia's drone operators targeting civilians. The primary aim of Russia's war on Ukraine is not in Ukraine but to sustain the Russian Federation and its internal colonies. The war persists because Russia keeps waging it, with no genuine willingness to find a win-win situation.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
