Trump defends Russia sanctions relief, accuses Zelensky of rejecting peace

US President Donald Trump on Sunday, October 18, defended his decision to waive some sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, writing on his Truth Social platform. He also repeated his accusation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does not want the war to end. The dispute has deepened tensions between the two leaders and alarmed Kyiv and its allies.

What was decided

Trump signed an executive order late on Friday waiving broad new sanctions mandated by legislation named for the late US senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Ukraine's defense. He has also temporarily waived sanctions on Russian diesel, allowing large quantities to flow into global markets in an effort to lower fuel prices ahead of US elections early next month. Kyiv and its allies met the diesel deal with shock.

Trump: not driving Russia from the table

Trump wrote that he is negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine and does not want to "foolishly" drive Russia away from the bargaining table. He said great progress is being made in the talks, including on hostage negotiations. He also referred to a document he could sign later, though it was unclear which document he meant. The White House did not immediately respond to an AFP request for clarification. Trump added that Russia is doing very little to help Iran and that he wants to keep it that way.

Accusations against Zelensky

Trump repeated that Ukraine is deliberately targeting Russian refineries to hurt the Republican Party in the November 3 election. He said the attacks are seriously damaging world diesel markets, including in the United States. Polling shows his party heading for a likely heavy defeat, with many voters upset by fuel costs, which have soared since the Iran war began in late February.