President Donald Trump has placed a sweeping new sanctions regime against Moscow on hold, issuing an executive order that waives numerous restrictions, duties and penalties. The move, announced on Friday, comes as the administration has struck a deal to import large volumes of Russian diesel, a step that has sparked fierce bipartisan criticism and raised questions about the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s war effort.
Executive order stalls congressional will
In a formal declaration, the Trump administration said the pause on the legislation—passed by both the House and Senate in a rare show of bipartisanship—was “in the national interest.” The bill, championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was signed into law last month and was due to take effect within days. It targeted Russian officials, major banks and a covert fleet of tankers used to keep Russian energy moving abroad. Additionally, it directed the president to impose up to 100 % tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with an exemption for nations that source less than 15 % of their gas from Russia and have taken concrete steps to reduce those imports.
The order also invoked the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” under which Trump had until 18 October to either enforce the sanctions or issue a waiver. The administration has not indicated whether it intends to implement the measures later or keep the waivers in place indefinitely.
Bipartisan backlash and Senate pressure
The decision has provoked a coordinated response from a cross‑party group of lawmakers. A dozen senators—six of them Republicans—sent a letter earlier this week urging the president to activate the sanctions authorities embedded in the new law. They argue that waiving the penalties undermines efforts to starve Moscow of the financial resources fuelling its war against Kyiv.
In the missive, the bipartisan cohort warned that the diesel purchase agreement—under which the US will secure more than 300 000 metric tonnes of diesel immediately, followed by 500 000 tonnes in November, 1 million tonnes “immediately thereafter” and an additional 3 million tonnes “within a short period of time”—will funnel cash back into the Kremlin. The senators called on Trump to rescind the deal, accusing the administration of reversing years of Western pressure on Russia.
Impact on Ukraine and energy politics
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meeting European leaders in Brussels, warned that the diesel arrangement would mean “cash will start flowing back into Russia.” The timing of the deal has also reignited tensions between Kyiv and Washington. Last weekend, Trump surprised Zelenskyy by announcing a mutual pledge between Ukraine and Russia not to target each other’s energy infrastructure, a move the Ukrainian side views as a concession to Moscow.
Trump has linked Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries to rising global energy prices, suggesting they could jeopardise Republican prospects in the upcoming mid‑term elections. The president’s narrative frames the sanctions pause as a tactical shift to curb fuel costs, yet critics argue it hands Moscow a diplomatic victory while leaving Kyiv vulnerable.
The administration is also under scrutiny for allegedly withholding intelligence on Russian ballistic missile strikes and for throttling Starshield, the military variant of Starlink, which could limit Ukraine’s drone operations. Neither allegation has been officially confirmed, but the suspicions have added another layer of strain to the US‑Ukraine partnership.
Campaign dynamics and legislative aftermath
The legislation has become a focal point in the race to succeed the late Senator Graham. His sister, Darline Graham, appointed to fill the remaining months of his term, is running for the Senate seat on a platform that highlights the bill’s passage. During a debate with Democratic challenger Annie Andrews, Darline Graham expressed pride in shepherding the measure through Congress but conceded that its enforcement rests with the president.
“It gives the president tools that he can use, if he so chooses, to end the war through economic sanctions,” she said in Columbia. “So that’s up to him as to whether or not he wants to use it, or whether he wants to use something else, but I think the purpose of it is to bring down the gas prices and ultimately end the war. And when the war ends, gas prices will fall.”
The political fallout extends beyond Capitol Hill. Trump’s endorsement of Darline Graham underscores a broader strategy of aligning with candidates who support his foreign‑policy pivots. Meanwhile, the Senate’s bipartisan letter signals that even some Republicans are uneasy with the administration’s abrupt reversal on sanctions, potentially setting the stage for future legislative battles over how aggressively to confront Moscow.
Why it Matters
The suspension of a hard‑won, bipartisan sanctions package against Russia marks a pivotal shift in US foreign policy, with reverberations that extend far beyond the immediate economic levers. By opting to import Russian diesel while waiving punitive measures, the Trump administration is effectively re‑prioritising domestic energy costs over the strategic goal of weakening Moscow’s war machine. This recalibration not only emboldens the Kremlin financially but also risks eroding Ukraine’s negotiating position and straining a key alliance at a critical juncture. Moreover, the move has ignited a bipartisan backlash that could reshape legislative oversight of executive power, while also influencing the dynamics of the upcoming mid‑term elections and the broader political landscape surrounding US‑Russia relations.