Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions Law Before It Takes Effect
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving key sanctions and tariffs on Russia days before they were due to take effect. The law was meant to increase pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump waived key Russia-related sanctions and tariffs in an executive order released by the White House on Friday, October 17, days before they were due to take effect under a law he signed last month. The waiver covers duties on Russian goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas. The law was designed to increase pressure on Russia over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In the order, Trump said the waiver serves the national interest of the United States. It stays in force until he or other White House officials decide that "further action is appropriate." He has sent Congress a certification to that effect. The law lets the president lift sanctions simply by informing Congress that he has determined they are not in the national interest.
What the law provided
Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in mid-September. Its main backer in Congress was the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican. It envisaged tariffs of up to 100% on all goods from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, as well as from countries that knowingly bought such energy or ranked among the top five helping Russia evade sanctions.
China and India, among the biggest buyers of Russian oil, had voiced concerns. Beijing said it consistently opposes "long-arm jurisdiction that lacks a basis in international law," while New Delhi warned that new tariffs could affect bilateral ties with Washington.
Reactions
Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, criticized the move, saying Trump was handing a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin and betraying Ukrainian partners. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's investment envoy, called the waiver "a truly historic moment" and said the legislation could have effectively halted all economic cooperation between Russia and the U.S.
Analysts have said the measures, coming weeks before U.S. midterm elections, could have pushed oil prices higher while Americans already face rising costs largely attributed to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Trump has also faced criticism from Democrats and some Republicans over a recent diesel deal under which he agreed to lift sanctions on Russian exports in return for Russia supplying diesel to global markets.
