Weeks after signing tough new penalties on Moscow into law, the president is explaining why he has put them on ice.
President Donald Trump on Oct. 18, 2026, defended his decision to waive new Russia sanctions, arguing that the move is needed to keep Moscow negotiating to end the war in Ukraine.
Why did Trump waive the Russia sanctions?
In a social media post, Trump said he is negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine and does not want to do anything that would drive Russia away from the bargaining table.
He said great progress is being made, including in negotiations over hostages, and that he can impose the sanctions later or at any time he chooses. He did not provide details about the hostage talks or the state of the broader negotiations.
Trump signed an executive order late on Oct. 16 waiving the Russia sanctions, saying the move serves the national interest. The order came two days before the measures were set to take effect.
What did the Russia sanctions law require?
The law, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, aimed to ramp up economic pressure on Moscow. Graham died in July. Lawmakers renamed the bill in his honor after his death.
It required tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods, including oil and gas, and tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian energy and the top five countries helping Russia evade oil sanctions.
The Senate passed the bill 86 to 11 in August, and the House approved it 262 to 159 in September. Trump signed it into law Sept. 18.
The waiver covers nearly every Russia provision in the law. It does not cancel sanctions imposed earlier by executive order, but it removes a requirement that those sanctions stay in place, giving the president room to lift them. Critics say waiving the measures gives Russia a financial lifeline at a time when Ukraine is under heavy attack.
The law required the administration to send Congress a report explaining any waiver. Trump said that report has been submitted.
How did Zelenskyy respond to the Russia sanctions waiver?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the decision a historic mistake and described it as major support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He had earlier called the move a gift to Putin and said pressure on Moscow is needed now.
A senior Kremlin envoy hailed the waiver as a historic moment. The envoy, who runs Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, has been involved in contacts with the administration.
How have lawmakers reacted?
The decision to pause Russia sanctions drew criticism from both parties. A Republican senator called it a mistake, and other prominent Republicans also broke with the president. Some lawmakers noted that Congress approved the measures by wide margins in both chambers.
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee has introduced bipartisan legislation to block a separate deal under which the United States would buy diesel from Russia.
That diesel agreement, announced earlier this month, came as fuel prices climbed. Trump also announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Oct. 11, though Kyiv later accused Moscow of violating it.
What happens next with Russia sanctions?
Trump can reinstate the measures whenever he chooses. The law’s Russia provisions are set to expire in 2031. The administration’s top Treasury official has said no sanctions were actually lifted.
For now, the waiver puts Russia sanctions on hold while peace talks continue. Whether the strategy pays off or emboldens Moscow will be a key test of the president’s approach to the war.
