Trump rewarding Putin

US President Donald Trump has put on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause on the legislation passed by both chambers was in the national interest.

In an executive order on Friday, the US president said he was waiving many sanctions, restrictions and duties on Russia, in a move that comes as he has been publicly criticising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, including suggesting that Ukraine needs a new leader. 

The move was greeted by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who wrote on social media: “The Trump administration’s suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment.”

Zelenskiy on Saturday said he feared the United States would lift more sanctions on Russia and and that President Donald Trump's action only "rewards" Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. 

"Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions will continue.  I believe the 'diesel deal' is just the first step," Zelenskiy told reporters. 

He said he still "personally" hoped that Trump will do "everything in his power" to make Putin end the war but added: "You cannot achieve this by limiting Ukraine's responses to Russia for killing our people. And certainly not by lifting sanctions." 

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 US to a halt.

Ukraine, the United States and Russia could meet during a G20 summit in the US but Washington and Moscow have not confirmed the meeting and other venues are also possible, Zelenskiy said on Saturday.

The Group of 20 major economies, which includes the US and Russia but not Ukraine, is due to hold a summit in Miami in December.

"The meeting could then take place in the United States during the G20 summit. But there has been no confirmation yet from either Russia or the United States. It could also be held in a European country," Zelenskiy told reporters in a WhatsApp media chat. 

Trump signed the legislation last month, after Congress passed the measure in an act of rare bipartisan agreement. It sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fuelling Russia’s war against Ukraine.

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The legislation – whose primary backer in Congress was the late senator Lindsey Graham – sanctions Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers that keeps Russian energy moving and was due to be implemented in two days.

It also directs Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with an exception for countries that import less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports. 

Friday’s announcement comes a week after Trump said the US had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down global energy prices, upending years of US and western pressure on the Kremlin to end its war against Ukraine.

Weeks before US 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 US-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 US 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.

The order said the waiver will remain in effect until Trump or his top officials determine that "further action is appropriate."

Trump 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," Trump said in the order.

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.

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The law allows the president to waive sanctions simply by informing Congress that he has determined that they are not in the national interest.

US Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, blasted Trump for the waiver, saying he was giving in 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.

Trump had also faced criticism from several US senators, including some Republicans, over a recent diesel deal with Russia in which Trump agreed to lift sanctions on Russian exports and Russia agreed to supply diesel to global markets in an effort to lower fuel prices. The lawmakers who criticized the deal said it would help fund Russia's war efforts.