Trump waives new Russia sanctions as rift with Ukraine deepens
Sen. Richard Blumenthal calls the decision “craven, cowardly” as Washington turns to Russian diesel supplies to lower fuel prices ahead of the US midterms
US President Donald Trump signed late on Friday an executive order waiving new sanctions against Russia, prompting one of the legislation’s authors to accuse him of “sucking up” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The order invoked a provision allowing Trump to waive the measures on national interest grounds. It set no fixed expiry for the waivers and left earlier sanctions in place.
Congress passed the legislation last month to curb funding for Russia’s war against Ukraine. Named after Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died in July, it targeted Russian officials, oligarchs and financial institutions and provided for steep tariffs on countries buying Russian energy.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who co-authored the legislation, condemned the decision. “These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin,” he said.
“I hope my Republican colleagues will join me in condemning this craven, cowardly action.”
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The move, unveiled amid a widening rift with Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelensky, followed Trump’s agreement with Putin to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports and bring additional supplies onto global markets, part of an effort to lower fuel prices ahead of November’s US midterm elections.