President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving nearly all substantive sanctions, tariffs and trade restrictions on Russia set by the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, just before its measures were due to take effect. The order came with only a one-line certification to Congress that the waiver was in the national interests of the United States, and it followed a deal for Russia to ship 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and world markets as well as a major Russian air attack on Ukraine. The order suspends the act's core provisions, including its secondary tariff of up to 100% on countries buying large volumes of Russian oil and gas, while sanctions from earlier executive orders remain in force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the waiver wrong, predicted it would not be the last, and said it undercut pressure meant to end the war. Several Republicans criticized the move, with Sen. Thom Tillis calling it “beyond irresponsible,” while Rep. Thomas Massie welcomed the use of executive authority to waive most of the law.
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Original headline: Trump Waives Russia Sanctions He Signed ; Zelensky Says Wrong
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