Trump Suspends Russia-Energy Sanctions And Tariffs, Averting Duties

US President Donald Trump suspended a major package of sanctions and tariffs targeting purchasers of Russian energy on Friday, preventing severe duties on nations like India and China just one day before the penalties were scheduled to take effect. Issued via executive order, the waiver was declared by Trump to be in the national interest of the United States, halting measures mandated by the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.

The suspended legislation, signed into law last month, gave the president 30 days to act ahead of an October 18 deadline. It originally ordered 100 per cent tariffs on goods from the top five buyers of Russian crude—China, India, Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan—alongside 500 per cent tariffs on US imports of Russian energy products. Furthermore, the act included sanctions on Russian financial institutions, energy companies, officials, and President Vladimir Putin, as well as foreign entities supporting Moscow's military operations.

While the executive order grants immediate relief to major buyers, the suspension is not necessarily permanent, leaving Trump the option to implement the measures at a later date. The decision follows a recent softening in Trump's approach toward Moscow, which included an agreement with Putin to import Russian diesel into the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the diesel arrangement, while Trump subsequently criticized Zelensky's leadership and suggested Ukraine needs a new leader capable of negotiating a deal.