Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold amid deepening row with Ukraine

President Donald Trump has suspended a major package of Russia sanctions that Congress passed with bipartisan support, telling lawmakers in a Friday executive order that the pause serves the national interest. The waiver arrives ahead of an October 18 deadline to enforce or set aside the measures, according to The Guardian.

The law, signed last month, is named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, its chief congressional champion. It targets Russian officials, banks and tankers moving the country's energy, and directs the president to levy tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, with a carve-out for certain countries.

The move follows Trump's plan to buy Russian diesel, starting with more than 300,000 metric tons. A dozen senators, six of them Republicans, wrote Tuesday urging him to reverse course. Speaking in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the purchases would send money back into Russia. Trump has blamed Ukrainian refinery strikes for energy prices that threaten Republican majorities in next month's midterms. Senator Darline Graham, appointed to finish Lindsey Graham's term, said implementation was Trump's call.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →