In brief
President Trump has exercised his presidential authority to block a range of sanctions contained in the recently signed Russia sanctions bill. The law, named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was set to take effect on October 18 but Trump has withheld sanctions that target Russian oil, gas and entities tied to President Putin. The move follows a controversial decision to import Russian diesel to lower domestic fuel prices ahead of the mid‑term elections, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a bipartisan group of 20 US lawmakers. Those lawmakers urged Trump to implement the sanctions fully and without delay, warning that the sanctions are key to forcing Russia to negotiate peace.
US President Donald Trump has used his presidential authority to block numerous sanctions on Russia that were recently passed by the US Congress to punish the country for its war on Ukraine.
In an executive order on Friday night, Trump said that it is in the US "national interests" to withhold some of the sanctions. He signed the sanctions bill into law in September, and it was due to take effect on Sunday.
The move comes days after Trump announced the US would import Russian diesel in an effort to lower energy prices ahead of the mid‑term elections, a plan that shocked lawmakers and triggered a bipartisan backlash.
The US sanctions law, named for the late Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, aimed at Russia's economy and allowed Trump to levy tariffs of up to 100% on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India.
It also includes sanctions against President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian officials, banks, and Russia’s "shadow fleet" of tankers used to bypass existing restrictions.
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of 20 US lawmakers issued a letter urging Trump to respect the new law, which is due to take effect on October 18, and thanked him for signing it. They called for his "full and faithful implementation" of the law, warning that it would be decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously.
Last week, Trump announced a phone call with Putin and an agreement to purchase diesel from Moscow. US allies criticised the move, worried it would aid Russia’s war effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the deal a gift that amounts to "an investment in a war that must be ended."
