Washington, DC [US] September 20 : Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Friday (local time) called on US President Donald Trump to "hit China with sanctions" for buying "cheap Russian oil" and supporting Moscow's war in Ukraine. His remarks came after the European Union announced sanctions on energy companies in China doing business with Russia.
Graham supported the EU's latest sanctions package, saying it follows Trump's directive last week for Europe to impose 50 to 100 per cent tariffs on China before the US takes similar measures.
"To our European allies: this is a significant step in the right direction. It is now time for the United States to hit China with sanctions and tariffs for buying cheap Russian oil, fueling Putin's war machine, "Graham wrote on X.
In another post, Graham also said that US tariffs on India are "going to pay dividends" and now is the time for Trump to impose the same tariffs on China and Russia as well.
"President Trump's 25% tariff on India for buying cheap Russian oil and gas is going to pay dividends. It's now time for the US to levy tariffs and sanctions on China and Russia, " he wrote on X.
{{{{twitter_post_id####}}}}Russia’s incursion into Estonian air space - a NATO member - today is yet another example of a provocative Putin who remains defiant.
I appreciate the EU’s new round of sanctions against Russia and Chinese oil infrastructure.
President Trump’s 25% tariff on India for buying…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 19, 2025
On Friday, Trump announced that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had reached an agreement to let TikTok continue operating in the US. Details of the deal remain unclear.
Speaking with the reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said, "I had a good call with President Xi. He approved the TikTok deal. We look forward to getting the deal closed. We have to get it signed; it could be a formality. The TikTok deal is on its way, and the investors are getting ready."
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday, "It is time to turn off the tap," while announcing that the EU would stop importing Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). She added, "Russia's war economy is sustained by the revenues from fossil fuels. We want to cut these revenues, so we are banning imports of Russian LNG into European markets. It is time to turn off the tap."
The EU sanctions package is the bloc's 19th set of penalties against Moscow. It includes a plan to completely stop Russian LNG purchases by 2027 and aims to pressure companies in China and other countries to cease doing business with Russia.
Earlier this week, Trump wrote to NATO countries, urging them to halt oil imports from Russia. He also suggested that NATO impose tariffs of 50 to 100 per cent on China. Trump said, "I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50 per cent to 100 per cent tariffs on China, to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ending this deadly, but ridiculous, war."
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