US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called President Trump's decision to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports 'very wise', saying it would boost global energy supply and help contain high diesel prices worldwide. The arrangement follows an Oct. 9 Trump-Putin call, under which Moscow agreed to deliver commercial diesel to international markets through 2027, and OFAC issued a general license for Russian refined diesel through April 7, 2027. On Oct. 16, Trump signed an executive order waiving mandatory penalties under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, including 500 percent tariffs on Russian imports and 100 percent secondary duties on buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, just 48 hours before they were due to take effect. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticised the move, arguing it provides hard-currency revenue for the Kremlin's wartime budget and undermines deterrence ahead of winter.
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Original headline: Rubio Defends Trump Diesel Sanctions Relief as Very Wise
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