In brief
President Donald Trump used his executive powers to block several sanctions against Russia, despite Congress approving a new law targeting the country’s economy. The move follows his announcement to import Russian diesel to lower U.S. energy prices ahead of the mid‑term elections. Lawmakers from both parties have denounced the decision and urged full enforcement of the sanctions, arguing the delay could aid Russia’s war effort. The sanctions law, named for slain Senator Lindsey Graham, grants the President broad authority to impose tariffs and target Russian officials and assets. Critics say the diesel deal is a gift to Putin and risks supplying resources to continue the conflict in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump has used his presidential authority to block several sanctions on Russia that were recently passed by the U.S. Congress in an effort to punish the country for its war on Ukraine.
In a Friday night executive order, Mr Trump said it was in the United States’ national interest to withhold a portion of the sanctions. The sanctions bill, signed into law by the President in September, was set to take effect on Sunday.
The plan comes after Mr Trump announced he would import Russian diesel to lower U.S. energy prices before the mid‑term elections in November, a move that has shocked lawmakers and triggered a bipartisan backlash.
The law, named for the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, targeted Russia’s economy and granted the President the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas—most notably China and India. It also imposes sanctions on President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian officials, banks, and the country’s “shadow fleet” of tankers used to circumvent existing sanctions.
On Thursday a bipartisan group of 20 U.S. lawmakers wrote a letter urging the President to fully and faithfully implement the new law. They said it would be decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously and called on the administration to apply the Graham law’s sanctions to their fullest extent without delay.
Last week, Mr Trump announced he had held a phone call with President Vladimir Putin and had agreed to purchase diesel from Moscow. The deal has been criticized by U.S. allies, who fear it could provide Russia with resources to continue its war effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the agreement a “gift to Putin” and an investment in a war that must end.
