US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday pausing a comprehensive sanctions package on Russia that he approved just last month, informing Congress that the delay is in the national interest.
The suspension came two days before a statutory deadline that would have enacted the penalties. The bipartisan measure, authored by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, had cleared both the House of Representatives and the Senate by substantial majorities. Graham died unexpectedly in July following a trip to Ukraine, and the law bears his name.
Designed to cut off funding for Moscow's war, the legislation targets Russian officials, financial institutions, and a shadow fleet of tankers used to export energy. It also instructs the president to levy tariffs reaching up to 100 percent on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil or gas, while granting exemptions to nations taking measures to reduce imports that account for less than 15 percent of Russia's natural gas exports.
The move to delay the measures follows an announcement by Trump a week earlier that the United States had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia in an effort to decrease international fuel prices. Lawmakers from both major parties condemned that agreement, arguing it aids Moscow's war funding while failing to impact fuel costs.
Democratic Representative Don Beyer said he and fellow lawmakers had "warned" such an action could occur regarding the Moscow agreement. Beyer urged legislators to "fix this flawed law to stop Trump from capitulating to Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine".
Trump has also stepped up his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, faulting him for not concluding an agreement with Russia. The policy shifts arrive as Republicans work to maintain their congressional majorities in the November 3 midterm elections, amid an October 1 poll indicating broad voter disapproval over Trump's management of the Iran war, rising prices, and various domestic matters.
