Trump waives congressionally mandated Russia sanctions days before the law takes effect

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Friday waiving or pausing numerous Russia sanctions passed by Congress, moving just days before the law was due to take effect on 18 October.

Trump signed the sanctions legislation into law in September after Congress passed the measure in rare bipartisan agreement. The law is named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on 11 July and was one of Ukraine’s staunchest defenders in Washington. Trump said it is in the US national interests to withhold some of the sanctions.

What the Graham act does

The legislation, formally called the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, sanctions Russian officials, banks, and a shadow fleet of tankers that keeps Russian energy moving. It also includes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior figures within the Russian government. The law 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. Trump had until 18 October to impose the sanctions and tariffs or waive them, and the administration had not told lawmakers which path it would take.

The diesel deal

On 9 October, Trump announced he had held a phone call with Putin and agreed to purchase diesel from Moscow, a deal he said would bring down energy prices ahead of November midterm elections. Trump said Russia would supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tons in November, 1 million tons immediately thereafter, and an additional 3 million tons within a short period of time. The phased figures sum to roughly 4.8 million metric tons, though the initial portion has been described differently across reports. Since the war with Iran started in February, US fuel and especially diesel prices have skyrocketed, adding to financial pressure on American voters. Trump has separately blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for pushing up energy prices that could cost his Republican party its thin majorities in Congress.

Bipartisan pushback

A bipartisan group of 20 US lawmakers sent a letter on Thursday urging Trump to fully implement the sanctions law, calling it decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously. Virginia Congressman Don Beyer accused Trump of capitulating to Moscow and turning his back on Kyiv. “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. Separately, a dozen US senators including six Republicans called on Trump to rescind the diesel deal. Senator Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, who was appointed to serve out his remaining term with Trump’s endorsement and is running to replace him, said in a debate that it was Trump’s purview how to implement the law. “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,” she said.

The rupture with Kyiv

Zelenskyy criticised the diesel deal as benefiting Russia financially, warning that cash will start flowing back into Russia. On 11 October, Trump blindsided Zelenskyy by announcing an energy ceasefire effective immediately, which Moscow denied agreeing to. After three days, Kyiv resumed its strikes on Russian energy facilities. Trump called Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil refineries a disgrace and blamed them for pushing up energy prices. The Trump administration is suspected of withholding intelligence from Ukraine on incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes, though this has not been officially confirmed. Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite internet network, was restricted in Ukraine, affecting military operations. The order to limit Starshield came from inside the White House, per a Reuters report citing three officials. Starshield was restricted to prevent use on drones flying faster than 100mph.

European alarm and what comes next

Zelenskyy met European leaders in Brussels on Friday and warned that the diesel agreement could set a precedent. “Sanctions will be lifted after gas,” he said. “They will be lifted on something else. Then this will come to the banking system, certain individuals, chemical industry.” Sergey Aleksashenko, a senior research fellow at the NEST Centre, said Russia’s main gain is political, as Trump’s decision eases sanctions pressure and undermines Western unity. Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the deal likely boosts Moscow’s belief that continued pressure will eventually yield further Western concessions. Next month, troops from Britain, France, and Germany will take part in a major military exercise in Poland. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the drill was to ensure readiness to support Ukraine’s military training and post-war rebuilding.