The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order this Friday that temporarily suspends the application of a broad package of sanctions against Russia, arguing, in response to the decision of Congress, that the measure responds to the national interest, according to the White House.
The decision affects a law named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, which seeks to toughen sanctions against the Russian economy and limit the flow of financial resources that contribute to sustaining the war against Ukraine.
Trump justified the exemption before Congress on the grounds that it responds to the "national interest" of the United States.
The head of state had promulgated this legislation on September 18, but has now temporarily exempted the application of several of its provisions.
In particular, the order exempts sanctions against individuals and entities linked to the Russian Government; the financial and commercial restrictions and tariffs planned for Russian products, and those from certain countries that purchase hydrocarbons from Russia.
The decision does not eliminate sanctions that the United States had already imposed on Russia through previous executive orders.
The exemptions from the new law will remain in effect until Trump or the secretary of state, in consultation with the secretary of the Treasury and the US trade representative, determine to adopt new measures.
The order also delegates to various Government departments the application of the provisions of the law that remain in force.
The decision comes after Washington temporarily authorized commercial operations with diesel of Russian origin until April 7, 2027, including its import into the United States, despite the sanctions in force against Moscow.
Trump announced on October 9 that he had agreed with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the supply of diesel for international markets, with the aim of alleviating energy and fuel prices.
The Republican president stated that Russia would initially deliver more than 300,000 tons of fuel and would later supply additional quantities, conditioned in part on the state of its refineries.
The agreement has drawn criticism from lawmakers of both parties, who question its possible effects on economic pressure against Moscow and its compatibility with US law.
Critics warn that revenue from the sale of Russian fuel could help finance the war against Ukraine, while the Administration defends the need to contain energy costs.
Russia calls it a "historic moment"
The Kremlin's emissary, Kiril Dmitriev, today described the US president's decision as a "historic moment." "The suspension of the Graham Law by President Trump's Administration is important and truly a historic moment," Dmitriev wrote on his Telegram channel.
He added that, "instead of sanctions and confrontation," the White House had opted for "mutually beneficial cooperation and joint responsibility for global stability."
"Economic cooperation between Russia and the United States responds to the interests of both countries, contributes to the stability of the world economy and creates the conditions for strengthening trust and achieving lasting peace," he noted.
In his opinion, the application of the law named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham "could have practically and totally stopped economic cooperation" between Moscow and Washington "and caused serious damage to the entire US economy and international markets."
Dmitriev then assured in X that "the enemies of global security, cooperation and prosperity will be dissatisfied."
Zelensky regrets temporary suspension of sanctions
For his part, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, regretted this Saturday the suspension of sanctions. "At a time when Russia has launched such a massive attack on our energy sector, unfortunately, the decision has been made in the United States to completely ignore the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to put truly effective pressure on Russia to end this war," Zelensky wrote on his social networks.
Trump's decision affects a law named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was one of the greatest defenders of Ukraine in the US Congress, which seeks to toughen sanctions against the Russian economy and limit the war machinery that finances the war against the European country.
"This law could have been of great help, and still can be! But it must be truly implemented, and every voice raised in support of it is important," Zelensky stressed.
The president apparently alluded to the decision of Gregory W. Meeks, a member of the Democratic Party on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who presented a bipartisan bill on Friday to prohibit "President Trump's corrupt agreement with (Russian President) Vladimir Putin, to purchase and import Russian diesel," according to a statement from the representative himself.
In Zelensky's opinion, "it is important for everyone in the United States to see what is really happening" in Ukraine because of Russia.
The Ukrainian president said that "Russia is trying to cause a blackout in Ukraine just before winter" and "intends to leave millions of our citizens without electricity or heating."
"Pressure is necessary to stop it. Paralyzing US sanctions, easing pressure on the aggressor and offering economic rewards to Putin only encourages him to continue attacking," he insisted.
