Trump has decided not to introduce "hellish sanctions" against Russia for now
US President Donald Trump has suspended the implementation of a series of major restrictions against Russia and the largest buyers of its oil and gas. A decree published on the White House website on October 16 states that this decision is in the national interests of the United States.
Trump decided not to introduce "sanctions from hell" against Russia for now
According to DW, these restrictions were provided for in Lindsey Graham's law, signed by Trump in late September and known as the "sanctions from hell." The law required their implementation by October 18, but also allowed the process to be temporarily suspended based on national interests.
Trump exercised this authority and informed Congress of the relevant decision.
In particular, the introduction of an additional 500 percent tariff on Russian goods was suspended. The application of a 100 percent tariff on products from countries that are among the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas, and are helping Moscow most actively to bypass sanctions, was also delayed.
The decree does not specify an exact expiration date. The issue of introducing restrictions will be reconsidered when the president and the secretary of state, in consultation with the secretary of the treasury and the U.S. trade representative, conclude that there is a need for it.
This decision does not apply to sanctions imposed on Russia prior to the passage of the Graham bill.
Earlier, on October 9, Trump announced that an agreement had been reached on the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the U.S. and other markets. To implement it, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a license permitting certain transactions prohibited by sanctions until April 7, 2027. Russia, in turn, stated that it would lift restrictions on diesel exports ahead of schedule.
According to Axios sources, the diesel deal was concluded after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy failed to comply with several requests from Trump to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. Zelenskyy had offered to cease such attacks in exchange for a halt to Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities.
The President of Ukraine called the diesel deal an "investment in war" and urged Washington to step up pressure on Moscow to achieve a ceasefire.