In brief
Donald Trump has issued an executive order that pauses enforcement of newly enacted U.S. sanctions on Russia, arguing it serves national interests. The sanctions, tied to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, aimed to hit Russia’s economy and its energy markets. Trump’s move comes amid criticism that Russia could benefit from a diesel import plan announced by the administration. A bipartisan group of 20 lawmakers urged the president to fully implement the law and warned that the policy could strengthen Putin’s war effort. The decision has sparked a sharp backlash from U.S. allies and domestic legislators.
US President Donald Trump has used his presidential authority to block numerous sanctions on Russia that were recently passed by the US Congress in an effort to punish the country for its war on Ukraine.
In a Friday night executive order, Trump declared that it was in the national interest to withhold part of the sanctions even as the law—named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham—was set to take effect Sunday.
The legislation, approved in September, targeted Russia’s economy and granted the president broad power to levy tariffs of up to 100 % on the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas, notably China and India. It also listed new sanctions against Vladimir Putin, senior Russian officials, certain banks and the “shadow fleet” of tankers used to evade existing restrictions.
Prior to the order, Trump announced plans to import Russian diesel to lower U.S. fuel prices ahead of next month’s mid‑term elections. The plan shocked lawmakers and triggered a bipartisan backlash.
A group of 20 U.S. lawmakers sent a letter on Thursday calling on Trump to comply fully with the new law, stressing that it would be “decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously.” They urged the administration to enforce the sanctions “to their fullest extent and without delay.”
While Trump signed the sanctions bill, critics say that his willingness to import diesel from Moscow essentially gives Russia a financial boost that could support its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly called the deal a gift to Putin, equating it to an investment in war that must end.
