U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to waive new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector has drawn sharp reactions amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The executive order, signed on Friday, suspends key provisions of legislation intended to intensify pressure on Moscow, marking a significant development in the diplomatic and economic landscape of the war now in its fifth year.
The waived sanctions were part of the Lindsey Graham Act, a package named after the late U.S. senator that aimed to restrict Russia’s energy revenues, defense capabilities, and a so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers circumventing earlier sanctions. The legislation would have imposed tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported into the United States from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil or gas, and penalized countries aiding Russia in evading sanctions. However, Trump certified that the waiver was in the national interest of the United States, a move that has both supporters and critics.
Russia welcomed the decision as a “historic” moment. Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, praised the suspension, suggesting that the legislation would have caused serious harm not only to Russia but also to the U.S. economy and global markets. The Kremlin, however, has yet to issue an official statement, while Putin reiterated his objective to seize the entirety of eastern Ukraine, emphasizing ongoing military operations.
Ukraine strongly condemned the U.S. action. President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced concern that lifting sanctions effectively rewards Russian aggression and undermines efforts to end the conflict. He expressed fear that the so-called “diesel deal” between Trump and Putin, which relaxed some sanctions in exchange for Russian diesel exports, could be only an initial step towards further concessions. Zelensky underscored the increase in Russian missile attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, including a large-scale strike on 15 critical power facilities just as the U.S. decision was announced. He highlighted casualties resulting from these attacks, including deaths in Kherson and Sumy, and stressed the risk of leaving millions of Ukrainians without electricity and heating ahead of the winter season. Zelensky called on international partners to maintain pressure on Moscow and criticized the waiver as undermining the enforceability of sanctions that could have been instrumental in ending the war.
The reaction in the U.S. Congress was also divided. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who contributed to drafting the sanctions legislation, criticized the executive order as disregarding the majority in both houses of Congress and European allies. He argued that the waiver was not linked to national security but was instead an appeasement of Putin.
As missile strikes intensify on Kyiv and other regions controlled or contested by Russia and Ukraine, Western allies remain concerned about the trajectory of the conflict. The recent waiver complicates the already complex dynamics of support and deterrence as diplomatic efforts to end hostilities have yet to yield significant progress. Meanwhile, both Moscow and Kyiv continue to portray the conflict in terms of strategic momentum, with uncertainty surrounding how U.S. policy adjustments might affect future developments.