US President Donald Trump has put a sweeping package of sanctions on Russia on hold, a decision Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says amounts to a "reward" for Vladimir Putin and will encourage Moscow to continue its war. Trump signed an executive order late on Friday, two days before the measures were due to take effect, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest but giving few details.
The law at issue is named after the late Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who championed it, and Trump signed it only last month. It provided for sanctions on Russian officials, banks and the "shadow fleet" of tankers that keeps Russian energy exports moving. It also allowed tariffs of up to 100% on the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas, such as China and India. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the waiver is a 60-day pause to "analyse" the effect of sanctions and tariffs on the global and US economies, noting that many countries are affected and that conflicts, including the US war on Iran, are pushing up fuel prices.
The decision follows a deal announced a week earlier under which Washington would buy Russian diesel to ease energy prices. Rubio argued that Russia would sell the fuel on world markets anyway, and that the only question was how much the US received. Cost-of-living worries are weighing on American voters ahead of midterm elections next month. Zelenskyy said he expects more sanctions to be lifted and called the diesel deal the "first step". Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the suspension "historic".
The move drew sharp criticism from both parties in Congress. Republican Senator Thom Tillis called it "beyond irresponsible", while fellow Republican Ted Cruz called it "a mistake". Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who co-drafted the bill, said the waivers had "nothing to do with our national security". Reports suggest lawmakers have no quick way to counter the order.
The announcement came as Russia carried out one of its heaviest attacks yet on Ukraine's energy system, hitting more than 15 facilities. Ukraine's air force said it intercepted most of the 332 drones and all four cruise missiles launched overnight, but Zelenskyy said dwindling air-defence stocks make it hard to stop everything. Overnight attacks killed at least four people, including an ambulance driver in the Kherson region. Ukraine, for its part, said drones disrupted Moscow's airports, with more than 350 flights cancelled or delayed, and a woman was killed in the Russian border region of Belgorod. Russia also claimed to have taken eight settlements in eastern Ukraine, including Dobropillia; Kyiv acknowledged advances but denied losing the town.
Zelenskyy also said speed restrictions on Starshield, the military version of Starlink that underpins Ukraine's drone operations, appear to apply only inside Ukraine, calling it a "planned operation". Responsibility is unclear: Trump denied ordering it, and Elon Musk said the US government controls the system. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine's negotiator Rustem Umerov met US envoy Jared Kushner and that Washington is trying to arrange a three-way meeting with Trump and Putin.
The developments matter because Ukraine relies heavily on US intelligence, air-defence weapons and satellite services. Winter is approaching, and Russia's annual strikes on the power grid aim to deprive civilians of heat and water. European allies have limited ability to fill the gaps, and Zelenskyy has urged Europe to open its own talks with Moscow.