WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued an executive order late Friday to pause sweeping economic sanctions and import tariffs on Russia mandated by newly enacted bipartisan legislation, acting two days before the statutory deadline for enforcement.
The law, titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, cleared both chambers of Congress with overwhelming support before Trump signed it in September. The statute directed the executive branch to raise import duties on Russian goods by as much as 500 percent and establish tariffs reaching 100 percent on top buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, including China and India.
Trump notified lawmakers that granting the broad waiver was in the national interest of the U.S., ABC News reported. The order halts every operative component in the legislation targeting Moscow, including restrictions on purchasing Russian sovereign debt, measures against foreign banks processing transactions for state lenders, and penalties aimed at the maritime fleet used to bypass energy curbs.
Bipartisan Criticism and Outcry in Kyiv
The decision prompted immediate pushback from Capitol Hill and Ukrainian leaders, who argued the suspension undermines efforts to curb the Kremlin’s war spending.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the move Saturday on social media, expressing concern that relaxing restrictions relieves pressure on Moscow. "The decision to undo all of this, to block all of it, seems wrong to me," Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding, "And it definitely helps only the Russians."
Congressional sponsors also reacted sharply. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who drafted the bill alongside Graham, told Fortune that Trump had turned his back on lawmakers and European allies. Among Republicans, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis labeled the administration’s stance "unconscionable," while Texas Sen. John Cornyn said Graham "would be appalled," according to ABC News.
The White House defended the maneuver as essential for diplomatic leverage. Spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated Saturday that putting the penalties into effect now "would impede ongoing U.S. efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia," adding that Trump retains the power to enact the measures at any point.
Some conservative lawmakers praised the restraint. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who voted against the original legislation, commended Trump online for applying executive leeway to shelve what he termed a flawed statute. In Moscow, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the step as an important moment for bilateral relations, Al Jazeera reported.
Energy Markets and Election Pressures
The order marks the administration’s second move in recent days to ease economic pressure on Russian energy supplies. The Treasury Department recently authorized the purchase and delivery of Russian diesel through April 2027 to address domestic and global shortages stemming from conflict in Iran, CNBC reported.
Energy inflation remains a central concern for voters ahead of midterm elections on Nov. 3, where Republicans hold narrow majorities in both the House and the Senate. A public opinion survey published early this month by the AP-NORC Center found widespread public disapproval of rising fuel costs and the administration’s foreign policy handling, Fortune reported.
While the waiver leaves previously instituted executive order sanctions intact, it suspended a statutory requirement that would have permanently locked those prior penalties into place, preserving the president’s flexibility to revise them unilaterally.
It remains uncertain whether congressional leaders will seek legislative remedies to challenge the waivers when lawmakers reconvene, while foreign officials continue to monitor whether additional sanctions relief will follow.
