WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order waiving a sweeping package of sanctions on Russia that Congress passed and he signed into law in September, blocking measures two days before they were due to take effect, BBC News, CBC News and DW reported.
“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” the order said, adding that Trump had certified to Congress that the waiver is “in the national interests of the United States.” The White House posted the decision late Friday and did not immediately explain how it served that interest, DW said.
The Lindsey Graham Act gave the president power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top buyers of Russian oil and gas — most significantly China and India — and targeted senior Russian figures including Vladimir Putin, Russian banks and Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of tankers. Many of those provisions have now been waived, according to the BBC.
Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the move “an important and truly historic moment.” Democrats pushed back: Rep. Don Beyer called it “Trump’s latest surrender to Putin,” and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who helped draft the bill, said the waivers had “everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday it was unfortunate the U.S. had decided to “completely disregard” the law. “This Act could have helped enormously — and still can! But it needs to actually work, and every voice in support of it matters,” he wrote on X, as CBC News reported.
Zelenskyy said Russia struck more than 15 Ukrainian energy facilities overnight, warning that Moscow “is trying to cause a blackout in Ukraine – right before winter.” Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched four cruise missiles and 332 attack drones. Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators spoke on Friday and could meet next week.
Sources: BBC News, CBC News, DW
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