Trump says waiving new Russia sanctions will protect peace talks

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that he was negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine and did not want to do anything that would drive Russia “away from the bargaining table”. A White House spokesperson had similarly argued that enforcing the new measures now would impede US efforts to reach a peace agreement. Those are the administration’s reasons for the waiver; whether it will help keep negotiations going remains uncertain. [1] [6]

The executive order Trump signed on Friday waives new sanctions, restrictions and import duties under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The duties include a 500% increase on goods from Russia and 100% increases on goods from specified major buyers of Russian energy and countries facilitating sanctions evasion. The order says existing sanctions imposed under earlier executive orders are unaffected. ABC News reports, however, that it also waives a provision requiring some existing sanctions to remain in place. The waivers have no fixed end date. [2] [6]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the decision on Saturday, saying it helped Russia rather than stopped the war. Russian investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev welcomed it as “a truly historic moment”. Neither reaction establishes what effect the suspended measures would have had. [7]

Trump also claimed in his post that Zelensky did not want the war to end. On Sunday, Zelensky said he had spoken with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about further diplomatic steps, and that Ukraine remained ready to work constructively. His reported contact with the envoys contrasts with Trump’s portrayal of Kyiv as unwilling to pursue peace, though it cannot settle a claim about Zelensky’s private intentions. [1] [4]