Trump waives Russia sanctions ahead of law’s rollout

US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order withholding several sanctions against Russia under legislation scheduled to take effect on 18 October, BBC News reported. The Friday-night order cited US national interests as the reason for setting aside some measures intended to penalise Moscow over its war against Ukraine. Trump had signed the legislation in September. The supplied report does not identify precisely which sanctions the order blocks or how long the waivers will last.

For India, the key provision to watch is the law’s authorisation for Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, with India and China singled out in the report as particularly significant purchasers. That is authority to levy tariffs, not confirmation that such duties have been imposed. The report does not establish whether the executive order affects this provision, so it offers no basis to conclude that India has received an exemption or faces a new tariff. The legislation also provides for sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior government figures, banks and other financial institutions, and the tanker network used to evade existing restrictions.

The decision follows Trump’s announcement of an agreement to buy Russian diesel after a telephone conversation with Putin. Trump presented the imports as a way to lower US energy prices before November’s midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. The proposal drew criticism from US allies and lawmakers across party lines. On Thursday, 20 lawmakers urged the administration to implement the sanctions fully, arguing that stronger pressure would push Putin towards serious peace negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the diesel agreement as support for Russia’s war effort. Whether the waived measures include restrictions relevant to the proposed purchases remains unspecified in the supplied account.