Trump Blocks Russia Energy Sanctions, Drawing Bipartisan Congressional Ire

President Donald Trump has moved to block a series of sanctions targeting Russian fossil fuel revenues, issuing an executive order just days before the measures were set to take effect. The legislation, signed into law last month, would have imposed tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported from the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and gas. These sales are considered central to sustaining the Kremlin’s military operations. By waiving these requirements, the administration has prompted an immediate backlash from lawmakers across the political spectrum. Even staunch Trump allies such as Sen.

In an official order released Friday, Trump stated he had certified to Congress that delaying these sanctions aligns with the “national interests of the United States.

The White House did not provide specific details regarding that determination, noting only that the waiver will remain active until the administration decides that further action is deemed appropriate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the pivot on Saturday, suggesting the 60-day window will allow the executive branch to study the broader economic implications. Rubio noted that the sanctions were broad enough to potentially impact global trade, including imports from nations like India, and required further analysis on how they might influence both the domestic and global economy. According to in a WhatsApp media chat with reporters on Saturday, he, Details of a potential meeting were being worked out. For example, and others,” Rubio said. “I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyze what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy and even to the US economy.”, they include tariffs on a number of countries — India.

The move has caused significant friction with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who criticized the decision as the Kremlin intensifies its campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Zelensky stated that at a moment when Russia is launching massive strikes on his country’s power grid, the American decision to disregard the Lindsey Graham Act is a missed opportunity to exert pressure on Moscow. He remarked, “This Act could have helped enormously — and still can! But it needs to actually work, and every voice in support of it matters.” Despite the current strain, Zelensky confirmed that negotiators from both sides held discussions on Friday and are exploring the possibility of a meeting next week. The White House has heaped pressure on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries as it seeks to ease oil prices ahead of midterm elections at home. But has since resumed attacks — and Russia has continued to pound Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the week, kyiv briefly acceded to the request. “At a time when the Russians have carried out such a massive attack on our energy sector, a decision was unfortunately made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end,” he said. The latest reprieve by Trump for Moscow’s depleted coffers quickly triggered criticism from both sides of the aisle in Washington. According to don Bacon, Trump “is prolonging the war, not ending it.”. According to earlier this week, Zelensky, His government had received “no early warning from our partners” before a deadly ballistic missile attack hit a major power plant in Kyiv and damaged a residential building. According to trump blindsided European leaders last week when he struck a deal allowing Russian diesel exports — a move Zelensky, Had left him feeling betrayed. The deal also drew bipartisan blowback at home. The Ukrainian president praised “real leaders” in the continent at a summit in Belgium, in a veiled swipe at Trump on Friday. And Zelensky has been vocal about his constant struggle to obtain more stocks, the interceptors are among the few defensive weapons capable of knocking down a ballistic missile.

Congressional reactions were swift and predominantly critical. Senator Darline Graham, who holds the seat formerly occupied by her late brother, the bill’s namesake, stated that she disagrees with the president’s decision. While she acknowledged a shared goal of curbing energy prices, she emphasized a lack of trust in Russian leadership. Other Republicans were more vocal in their opposition; Representative Michael McCaul urged a reversal of the policy, arguing that peace is achieved through strength rather than accommodation. Similarly, Representative French Hill requested a classified briefing on the rationale, and outgoing Senator Thom Tillis labeled the action “beyond irresponsible,” accusing the president of capitulating to a foreign dictator.

Democratic lawmakers echoed these concerns. Senator Elizabeth Warren characterized the waiver as a failure in leadership, while Senator Richard Blumenthal, a co-author of the legislation, claimed the move was disconnected from national security and intended to appease Vladimir Putin. These developments follow a week of strained relations, compounded by reports that Ukrainian military operations have faced setbacks due to restricted access to the military-grade version of Elon Musk’s Starlink, which affected drone operations and early-warning systems. Ukraine’s top diplomat in Washington, Denys Sienik, confirmed on Saturday that they have not yet seen these capabilities fully restored. The turnaround caps a turbulent week for US-Ukraine relations that has fueled concerns in Washington and Europe that Trump is taking a series of steps to actively help Putin.

On the international stage, Russia welcomed the reprieve, with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, describing it on X as a “historic moment” for US-Russian economic cooperation. Meanwhile, the reality on the ground in Ukraine remains dire. Recent Russian strikes have left cities like Vinnitsya without electricity, and the Russian defense ministry reported the interception of 610 Ukrainian drones. As the divide between Washington and Kyiv grows, European Union officials are simultaneously preparing their own 22nd package of sanctions against Russia, maintaining a different trajectory from the current policy shift in the United States. According to ties between Ukraine and its most important backer the United, Have also been strained by the apparent withdrawal of US intelligence sharing, and restrictions to the Starlink satellite internet service. Jennifer Hansler and Logan contributed to this report.