A day after US President Donald Trump announced he would waive key sanctions related to Russia under the Graham Act, Marco Rubio explained why the US waived some energy tariffs.
A day after US President Donald Trump announced he would waive key sanctions related to Russia under the Graham Act, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday (local time) explained why the US waived some energy tariffs, adding that while India has diversified its energy imports, it would be difficult for New Delhi to "pivot" from Russian imports in a day.
Rubio defends Trump's decision to waive Russia sanctions
His remarks came after Trump waived some tariffs that could have targeted India and four other countries that are among the biggest buyers of Russian crude oil and gas.
Rubio, who made these remarks ahead of his departure for a week-long tour of India and Uzbekistan, added that the sanctions were waived because the US President wants to take a 60-day period to analyse what the implications of imposing sanctions on Russia and tariffs on other countries would be for the global economy.
He said, "I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyse what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy, and even to the US economy."
Trump signs executive order, puts Russia sanctions on hold
On Friday (local time), the US President signed an executive order waiving key Russia-related sanctions and tariffs, telling Congress that the decision was made in the country's interest. In the order, he said, “I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act."
According to reports, Trump submitted a certification to Congress stating that the waiver issued at this time was in the country's national interest, along with a report explaining his decision. The sanctions, which Trump signed under the Act last month, were set to come into effect on Sunday (local time).
Trump invoked Section 115 of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which permits the President to waive sanctions, restrictions, and duties after submitting a written national-interest certification and an explanatory report to Congress.
This story will be updated with additional details.
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Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.