Waived in the national interest, broad Russia sanctions draw Zelenskyy’s condemnation as wrong; Trump reverses course

Trump suspends new penalties

Trump signed an executive order Friday waiving sanctions and tariffs required by the Graham law, two days before they were scheduled to begin. He had signed the legislation last month after it passed Congress by large margins.

The law targeted Russian officials and oligarchs, financial institutions and banks, as well as tankers in Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. It gives the president authority to waive the sanctions. The order told Congress the decision served the national interest but offered no further explanation.

Waivers leave future action open

The order says the waivers will stay in place until Trump or the secretary of state, consulting relevant cabinet secretaries, decides further action is warranted. Trump also waived a provision that allowed sanctions to end if Russia accepted a peace agreement with Ukraine and stopped hostilities; Congress retained power to block such a termination.

White House defends decision

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Saturday that Trump wanted the war to end and that enforcing the sanctions provisions at this point would hinder U.S. efforts to negotiate a lasting, comprehensive peace agreement. Rogers said the president could use the authorities later if he determined that doing so served national interests.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the decision gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a valuable gift and criticized the arrangement. Cornyn said Graham would be appalled and shared a National Review article urging Congress to investigate.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said he was among seven Republicans who opposed the sanctions law. He welcomed Trump’s use of the authority Congress had granted him to waive most of its Russia-related provisions.

Zelenskyy calls reversal wrong

In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Democrats and Republicans who backed Graham’s bill, calling their support a major bipartisan victory. He said undoing the measures seemed wrong and benefited only Russia.

Zelenskyy added that the decision could encourage Russia to continue killing people and would not stop the war. He also expressed respect for Graham, thanked him and shared a photo with the late senator.