Donald Trump has blocked numerous sanctions on Russia just two days before they were set to take effect, because nothing says "tough on Moscow" quite like hitting the undo button at the last possible moment. The sanctions had been passed by US Congress and signed into law by Trump himself in September - a detail that makes the whole thing less a policy reversal and more a self-reply-all with regrets.
The president issued an executive order on Friday night declaring that suspending some of the measures was in the US "national interest," a phrase that has now done so much heavy lifting it should probably be paid overtime. US lawmakers responded with a backlash, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was unfortunate the US had decided to "completely disregard" the sanctions.
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have frayed after the US struck a controversial deal to import Russian diesel, and Ukraine then accused the Trump administration of withdrawing key military support. The two presidents have also exchanged sharp words: Trump said Zelensky was "more difficult to deal with" than Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Zelensky, addressing an EU summit, declared it was nice to be among "real leaders." Diplomatic relations, one assumes, are being handled by adults somewhere.
The new sanctions law had aimed squarely at Russia's economy, giving Trump broad powers to levy tariffs of up to 100% on imports from the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas - most significantly China and India. It also included sanctions against senior Russian figures including Putin, Russian financial institutions, and Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet" of vessels used to circumvent existing embargoes. Many of these provisions have now been waived, which is one way to describe a law you signed being quietly escorted out the back door.
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the waiver "an important and truly historic moment," posting on X that the sanctions would have inflicted "serious damage" primarily on the US and the global market, and that economic cooperation benefits both nations. Nothing says historic like the other side thanking you for not enforcing your own law.
Democrats, including Virginia Congressman Don Beyer, criticised the move, accusing Trump of capitulating to Moscow and turning his back on Kyiv and Zelensky. "Trump's latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression," Beyer wrote on X.
The move is likely to draw further anger from Ukraine, where Zelensky has long stressed the need for stringent sanctions to limit funding Russia can use in its war effort. He said on Saturday morning that the sanctions "could have helped enormously" and that the law was "supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end."
Zelensky pointed to Russian overnight attacks on 15 Ukrainian energy facilities that caused power cuts in several regions, saying: "Russia is trying to cause a blackout in Ukraine - right before winter." He added it was "important that everyone in America also sees what is really happening" on the ground.
Trump was initially criticised by Zelensky and Ukraine's European allies for temporarily suspending some US sanctions to import Russian diesel in a bid to bring down US energy prices, which have skyrocketed during the Iran war. Trump has spent months grappling with the political consequences of the Middle East conflict, which sent fuel costs soaring ahead of the US midterm elections, while rising inflation has soured his standing with the American public. Zelensky suggested the diesel deal was tantamount to the US investing in Russia's war effort.
A few days later, Trump claimed both Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an "energy ceasefire" to facilitate the export of Russian diesel. Both nations have been intensively striking each other's energy infrastructure - Kyiv says to limit revenue for Russia's war machine, Moscow claims it only targets facilities used by the Ukrainian military. Zelensky initially expressed surprise at Trump's announcement and said Kyiv would stop the strikes if Russia did the same. After three days featuring several fresh attacks from Russia, Kyiv resumed its strikes on Russian oil refineries, prompting scathing condemnation from Trump, who called the strikes a "disgrace." Zelensky replied that he was "only standing up for Ukraine's interests."
Concerns that Trump is siding with Russia have been heightened by disruption to a US-provided satellite system used by Ukraine. Last week Starlink suddenly and unexpectedly restricted the speed at which drones could fly while still maintaining internet connection, disrupting some battlefield missions, Ukraine said, and hampering Kyiv's ability to protect itself from incoming Russian attacks. During the slowdown, Russia launched several deadly strikes on Ukraine, with residents and the government saying these came with no prior warning. Zelensky said on Friday that Starlink speeds had still not been fully restored. Trump has denied halting intelligence-sharing and deliberately slowing down Ukraine's Starlink network.
Ukrainian authorities have confirmed at least nine people were killed and around 60 injured in Russian strikes across the country over the past 24 hours. They said an ambulance driver was killed and 20 others injured in Russian strikes on the city of Kherson on Saturday morning. Russia's defence ministry said it had targeted industries linked to Ukraine's defence industry, including steel works, an electrical sub-station and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea - a list that reads less like a military briefing and more like a very grim utilities inventory.