Trump Reverses Russia Sanctions Amid Proposed Trilateral Peace Summit

President Donald Trump reversed nearly five years of sanctions against Russia and waived tariffs mandated by the Graham Act to keep the Kremlin at the bargaining table for peace negotiations. Trump announced that the United States will purchase Russian diesel fuel and claimed that peace and hostage negotiations are making great progress. To build confidence with President Vladimir Putin, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are pursuing the purchase of the energy company Lukoil.

Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of prolonging the war for financial benefit and harming global diesel markets by targeting Russian refineries. He suggested that Zelenskyy should be replaced. In response, Zelenskyy described the U.S. approach as weak and warned that siding with Moscow would be a "historic mistake" for Washington. Zelenskyy also reported that Russia violated a Trump-led energy ceasefire 76 times in one week.

Diplomatic efforts escalated as Vladimir Putin proposed a trilateral summit with Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Shenzhen, China, on November 18 or 19. The proposed meeting notably excludes Ukraine. Meanwhile, the conflict intensified on the ground; Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Saint Petersburg since 2022, striking oil and logistics centers, while Russian strikes left tens of thousands of Ukrainians without power.