President Donald Trump waived key Russia-related U.S. sanctions and tariffs days before they were to take effect under a law he signed last month, including duties on the country's goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas.
In an executive order released by the White House on Friday, Trump said the waiver was in the national interest of the United States.
The law is meant to increase pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump, however, has been warming to Moscow while publicly criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, including suggesting Kyiv needs a new leader.
Weeks before U.S. midterm elections in which Trump's Republicans are battling to maintain their narrow grip on both chambers of Congress, the new measures could have risked further raising oil prices as Americans face increased costs largely attributed to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, analysts have said.
The legislation, whose primary backer in Congress was the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, would have imposed tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on all goods brought into the U.S. from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, as well as any country that knowingly bought oil or gas 30 days after the law was enacted or was among the top five countries helping Russia evade sanctions.
Trump's executive order said the waiver will remain in effect until he or other White House officials determine that "further action is appropriate." He had signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in mid-September.
"I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States," the order reads.
Countries such as China and India, which are among the biggest buyers of Russian oil, have raised concerns about the Russia sanctions bill.
Beijing has said it "consistently opposed long-arm jurisdiction that lacks a basis in international law" while India warned Washington that new tariffs could impact bilateral ties.
The law allows the president to waive sanctions simply by informing Congress that he has determined that they are not in the national interest.
U.S. Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, blasted Trump for the waiver, saying he was handing a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Trump's latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression," Beyer said in a statement.
Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, called Trump's waiver "a truly historic moment," posting on X that the legislation could have effectively brought all economic cooperation between Russia and the U.S. to a halt.
Trump has also faced criticism from Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans over a recent diesel deal with Russia in which he agreed to lift sanctions on Russian exports while Russia agreed to supply diesel to global markets in an effort to lower fuel prices.
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