Trump waives several Russia sanctions as row with Zelensky intensifies

What Happened

US President Donald Trump used an executive order on Friday night to waive or block numerous sanctions on Russia that were passed by the US Congress in the Graham law, which he signed in September and which was due to take effect on Sunday; a Thursday letter from 20 lawmakers cited the law's 18 October effective date. Trump said withholding some sanctions was in the US 'national interests'. The move came days after Trump announced a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and an agreement to import Russian diesel to lower US energy prices before the November midterm elections. The Graham law, named for the late Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, authorized tariffs of up to 100% on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas — most significantly China and India — and included sanctions on Putin, senior Russian government figures, banks, financial institutions and Russia's 'shadow fleet' of tankers used to circumvent existing sanctions. A bipartisan group of 20 US lawmakers urged Trump to implement the law fully and without delay, saying it would be decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the diesel deal a gift to Putin and 'an investment in a war that must be ended'.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The waiver undermines a bipartisan congressional sanctions package aimed at strangling Russia's war economy by targeting oil and gas purchasers, banks, and the shadow fleet. If implemented selectively, it could weaken leverage against Putin, strain US alliances, and provide Moscow with revenue while Ukraine's supporters demand full enforcement.

Watch For

Monitor whether the Graham law sanctions take effect on 18 October and which provisions Trump permanently waives; whether the announced Russian diesel imports proceed and their scale; the November US midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress and could shape further sanctions policy; and any Russian response or impact on peace negotiations.