Trump Halts New Russia Sanctions He Signed Into Law
United States President Donald Trump has paused a broad sanctions package against Russia that he signed into law last month, saying the halt serves the national interest. He issued an executive order on Friday, just two days before the law’s deadline for the measures to take effect.
The legislation, named after the late Republican senator Lindsey Graham who died unexpectedly in July after returning from Ukraine, passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with large margins. It was drafted jointly by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. The law aims to deprive Moscow of funds for its war on Ukraine by targeting Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers that transport the country’s energy exports. It also instructs Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas, with an exception for nations that buy less than 15 percent of Russia’s natural gas exports and are taking steps to reduce those purchases.
Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, commented on social media that Trump’s decision was “an important and truly historic moment.” He added, “The US‑Russia economic dialogue and peacemaking efforts will continue.”
The suspension of the sanctions came a week after Trump announced that the United States had struck a deal to buy diesel from Russia in an attempt to lower global fuel prices. Both Republicans and Democrats criticised the agreement, arguing that it would aid Russia’s war effort without affecting fuel costs. Democratic Representative Don Beyer said he and other lawmakers had “warned” that Trump might take this step, referring to the diesel arrangement with Moscow. Beyer urged Congress to “fix this flawed law to stop Trump from capitulating to Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine.”
Trump has also grown more critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for failing to reach a settlement with Russia. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Ukrainian parliament’s Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, linked Trump’s recent actions—which place Ukraine at a disadvantage—to the upcoming U.S. midterm elections next month. He said, “President Trump is a difficult partner, but we are dependent on the United States, and we need to have constructive, respectful relations even with Trump, no matter how difficult it might be.” Merezhko added, “I believe that after the midterm elections, the situation will be better, the emotions will subside and we will be able to return to constructive dialogue with President Trump.”
Polls indicate that Trump’s Republican Party may struggle to retain its majorities in Congress during the November 3 elections, as voters express disapproval of his handling of the U.S.–Israel conflict over Iran and blame him for rising prices. The article was published by Al Jazeera Staff and AP on 17 October 2026.