Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions Days Before They Take Effect
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order putting on hold a sweeping sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause is in the national interest. The move comes amid a deepening rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and follows Trump's own approval of the legislation last month.
President Donald Trump has put on hold a sweeping package of new sanctions targeting the Russian economy, waiving many of the restrictions just days before they were due to take effect. In an executive order signed on Friday, the US president told Congress that pausing the legislation, which had passed both chambers, was in the national interest.
The sanctions law had been championed by the late senator Lindsey Graham and was designed to quickly hit Russia's financial resources over its war on Ukraine. Trump himself signed the legislation only last month, making the decision to waive its provisions a notable reversal. The bipartisan bill had been approved by both chambers of Congress before reaching the president's desk.
The waiver lands during one of the worst rifts between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent months. The US leader has publicly criticised Zelensky, including suggesting that Ukraine needs a new leader. The tensions have been compounded by Trump's agreement to a diesel deal with Russia, a move that has further strained relations with Kyiv and its supporters.
The decision also comes as Trump has been warming to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US president has diverged from allies by declining to say whether Putin started the Ukraine war, a stance that has raised concerns among NATO partners. The sanctions pause is likely to deepen those anxieties, particularly as British troops prepare to join major NATO exercises in Poland next month.
The executive order waives a range of sanctions, restrictions and duties on Russia, according to the terms described by the White House. The legislation had been intended to impose rapid costs on Moscow for its ongoing military campaign in Ukraine. By putting the package on hold, Trump has effectively neutralised a tool that Congress had crafted to tighten economic pressure on the Kremlin.
The timing of the move, coming just days before the restrictions were set to bite, underscores the administration's willingness to reshape US policy toward Moscow. It also signals a further shift in Washington's approach to the conflict, away from the bipartisan consensus that had backed tougher measures against Russia.
For Kyiv, the waiver represents another setback in a difficult period. Zelensky's government has relied on Western sanctions to constrain Russia's war effort and has watched closely as the US president's posture toward Moscow has softened. The diesel deal and the sanctions pause together suggest a broader recalibration of US-Russia relations that could leave Ukraine more exposed.
European allies are likely to study the decision closely, given its implications for the unity of the Western response to the war. The move may complicate coordination on future sanctions packages and raise questions about the reliability of US commitments. For now, the sanctions remain on hold, with Congress informed that the pause serves the national interest.
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