Trump waives several Russia sanctions as row with Zelensky intensifies

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Trump waives several Russia sanctions as row with Zelensky intensifiesImage source, ReutersByMax MatzaPublished17 October 2026Updated 39 minutes agoUS President Donald Trump blocked numerous sanctions on Russia two days before they were due to take effect, as a row with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky deepens. The sanctions were passed by the US Congress and signed into law by the president in September. But Trump issued an executive order Friday night saying that suspending some was in the US national interest, prompting a backlash from US lawmakers.

Zelensky said it was unfortunate the US has decided to "completely disregard" the sanctions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the suspension would consist of a 60-day pause intended to analyse the impact on the global economy. The new US sanctions law took aim at Russia's economy by giving Trump broad powers to levy tariffs of up to 100% on imports from the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas – most significantly China and India.

The Details

It also included sanctions against senior Russian figures, including Putin, as well as Russian financial institutions and Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet" of vessels used to circumvent existing embargoes. Rubio said Trump wanted to use the 60 days to analyse "what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy and even to the US economy". Relations between Washington and Kyiv frayed after the US struck a controversial deal to import Russian diesel last week.

Ukraine has accused the Trump administration of withdrawing key military support. Since then, Ukraine's president declared it was nice to be among "real leaders" while addressing an EU summit, after Trump said Zelensky was "more difficult to deal with" than Russian President Vladimir Putin. The sanctions suspension seemed to add further fuel to the fire, while Russia welcomed it.

Trump denies limiting Ukraine access to Starlink network Published1 day agoTrump 'completely wrong' to restrict support for Ukraine, Italian minister tells Published1 day agoRussian envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Trump's order was "an important and truly historic moment". Posting on X, he said the sanctions would have inflicted "serious damage", primarily on the US and global market, and that economic cooperation benefits both nations. Democrats including the Virginia Congressman Don Beyer criticised the move, accusing Trump of capitulating to Moscow and turning his back on Kyiv and Zelensky.

What Experts Say

"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 wrote on X. A handful of Republicans, too, came out against the move. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a Trump ally, called waiving the sanctions a mistake, saying on Fox News: "I wish the president hadn't done it.

"He added there were other ways to address diesel prices and "the current path, unfortunately, just...

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.