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Trump Signs Order Exempting Russia From Sanctions
Confirmed
In Short: US President Donald Trump has waived sanctions targeting Russia, citing American national interests.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving sanctions, restrictions, and duties under the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, citing American national interests. The move could ease pressure on major buyers of Russian energy, including India.
The legislation, which passed the Senate on August 7 by a vote of 86 to 11 and the House on Wednesday, includes provisions for tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported from major buyers of Russian crude oil and gas.
Trump signed the bill into law just last month, and the executive order issued on Saturday outlines the exemptions and restrictions.
The legislation targets Russia’s energy, defense, and maritime sectors, as well as its defense industrial base, major financial institutions, and the illicit “shadow fleet” of tankers used to circumvent international oil price caps.
In a statement, the White House said the bill would impose and expand sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, while authorizing tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas and extending existing sanctions on Iran.
Trump also announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately to the American and global marketplace, followed by several additional shipments.
The bill was originally introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal in April 2025 and contemplated tariffs as high as 500% against countries continuing to purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products.
The legislation includes an exemption for countries importing less than 15% of Russian natural gas exports that have taken substantial measures to reduce those purchases.
The bill passed the Senate last month with strong bipartisan support and the House on Wednesday by a vote of 262 to 159.
In a statement, House Ways and Means ranking member Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Senate Finance ranking member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said, “It is extremely dangerous to give Trump massive new tariff powers, particularly after we’ve seen the disastrous impacts of his corrupt, chaotic, and inflationary tariff spree.”
Background
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced £54 million ($71 million) in winter energy and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, alongside new sanctions targeting Russia, during his visit to Ukraine on Thursday, Oct. 8.
What's confirmed
- US President Donald Trump has waived sanctions, restrictions and duties under legislation targeting Russia and Iran, citing American national interests, in a move that could ease pressure on major buyers of Russian energy, including India.
- U.S. President Donald Trump has signed the “Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” into law.
- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation imposing and expanding sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, while authorizing tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas and extending existing sanctions on Iran, the White House said.
- US President Donald Trump on Friday signed the sweeping Russia sanctions bill into law, the White House said in a statement, paving the way for increased economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
- The legislation targets Russia’s energy and defense industries, as well as the “shadow fleet” of tankers that evade existing sanctions.
What's still developing
- “Russia is the one who can end this war by backing out of territory that they occupied.” Trump’s deal and his move to pause the sanctions against Russia come as the price of diesel fuel has shot up almost 70% since the war in Iran began in February.
- Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
- The House of Representatives is moving closer to adopting new sanctions against Russia.
- Senators voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to advance a sweeping Russia sanctions bill that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had long sought to move forward before his unexpected death.
- Thousands of civilians have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
- Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution.