President Trump Waives Sanctions on Russian Energy Imports
What happened
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving sanctions and tariffs on Russian energy imports, including crude oil.
The waiver was issued one day before the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 was scheduled to take effect.
A Russian presidential envoy described the move as a "historic moment," while members of Congress have expressed outrage, with Senator Thom Tillis calling the decision "beyond irresponsible."
Why it matters
The executive order shields major importers of Russian energy, such as India and China, from potential trade levies, effectively bypassing the economic penalties mandated by the recently passed legislation.
Context
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 was passed by the U.S. Senate on August 7, 2026, and by the House on September 16, 2026, to impose tariffs on Russia and countries purchasing its energy products.
President Trump recently announced a diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian energy.
Sources 5 sources
This briefing cites 4 publishers across 4 detected independent reporting streams.
- Deccan Chronicle Russia Calls Trump’s Sanctions Waiver a ‘Historic Moment’
- Deccan Herald Many don’t know what my decision is: Trump on sanctions waiver to Russia
- Mymotherlode Trump’s decision to waive Russian sanctions outrages Congress, but no quick counter seen
- The Tribune India Relief for India as Trump waives Russia sanctions
- Wikipedia Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 Background reference · Wikipedia text used under CC BY-SA 4.0.