Trump waives major Russia sanctions, tariffs
NEW YORK — US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving major energy tariffs and sanctions on Russia mandated by the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, just days before the act takes effect.
"I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States," Trump said in the order.
The action freezes upcoming tariffs of up to 100 percent that were slated to hit the top five importers of Russian crude oil and gas, as well as restrictions aimed at Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers and energy and defense sectors.
The move came after Trump struck an agreement with Russia to release more Russian diesel into global markets and announced an energy infrastructure ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US has agreed to purchase diesel fuel from Russia to help lower global energy prices.
The move marks Trump's efforts to lower fuel prices before the US midterm election in early November.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the waiver of sanctions and tariffs would be a 60-day pause to "analyze" their impact on the global economy.
"The president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyze what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy and even to the US economy," Rubio said, noting that the economic restrictions involved a number of countries, not just Russia.
He said various conflicts were affecting global energy prices, including the US war on Iran and attacks between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis.
"These conflicts around the world are starting to crash into each other, and they're having an impact not just on global oil and diesel prices" but on economies as well, Rubio said.
Trump said late on Saturday that his decision would benefit the US.
"We'll figure it out, and you'll figure it out," he said. "It's a very good decision, and it's going to be a decision that's good for the country, and I think good for the world."
US lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have sharply criticized Trump after he signed the executive order.
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 — named after the late senator — was passed in September and signed by Trump.
"The Trump administration's suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment," Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on social media.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that he feared the US would lift more sanctions on Russia. "Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions will continue. I believe the 'diesel deal' is just the first step," he told reporters.
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