Trump Waives Russian Sanctions to Secure Diesel Deal

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 16, 2026, waiving sweeping sanctions and tariffs mandated by the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The move prevents the implementation of duties up to 500% on Russian goods and 100% on major importers of Russian energy, including India and China. Trump certified the waiver as being in the national interest, specifically to lower domestic diesel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

The waiver follows a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import millions of tonnes of diesel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the action as a 60-day pause to analyze the global economic impact of the sanctions. Trump further justified the move as a "carrot" to keep Russia at the bargaining table for peace negotiations, while accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of prolonging the war by targeting Russian refineries.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the decision as a "historic mistake" and a betrayal, arguing it rewards Russian aggression. Tensions escalated as Ukraine reported disruptions to Starlink and Starshield satellite services and a decrease in Patriot missile deliveries. In response, Zelenskyy appealed to the European Union for 70 billion euros in additional aid and defended continued drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.

Bipartisan criticism erupted in Washington, with lawmakers like Senator Richard Blumenthal and Senator Thom Tillis calling the waiver a capitulation to Putin. Meanwhile, Putin proposed a trilateral summit in Shenzhen, China, with Trump and Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war, a meeting that would notably exclude Ukraine.