President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday night waiving many of the sanctions, restrictions and duties on Russia contained in a sweeping law Congress passed with bipartisan support, saying the move is "in the national interests of the United States." The law, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was signed by Trump last month and named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Under its terms, Trump had until Oct. 18 to impose the measures or waive them, and the administration had not told lawmakers which course it would take.

The legislation sanctions senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian banks and the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to move Russian energy around existing embargoes. It also directs the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, a group that may include China and India, with an exception for countries that import less than 15% of Russia's natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports. Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the suspension "an important and truly historic moment," saying the sanctions would have caused serious damage primarily to the United States and global markets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the decision on Saturday, calling it wrong and saying it "only helps the Russians." In a Telegram post he referred to an "American sanctions blackout" and described the weakened pressure as effectively a financial reward for Putin. He noted that overnight Russian attacks on 15 Ukrainian energy facilities caused power cuts in several regions, saying Russia is trying to cause a blackout before winter. Zelenskyy thanked Democrats and Republicans who backed the bill and praised Graham for his support of Ukraine.

Critics in Congress responded quickly. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called the waivers a "craven, cowardly action" and said they had "nothing to do with our national security." Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a Ukraine supporter who is not seeking re-election, said "the president is prolonging the war, not ending it." Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., accused Trump of surrendering to Putin and defying congressional intent. Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who co-sponsored the bill named for her late brother and is running for a full term in his seat, has promoted the law as part of her campaign.

The waiver follows a deal Trump announced last week for the United States to purchase Russian diesel, with Russia to supply more than 300,000 metric tons immediately, followed by additional shipments in the coming months, to ease fuel prices that have risen roughly 70% since the war in Iran began in February. A bipartisan group of a dozen senators, including six Republicans, had sent a letter urging Trump to rescind the diesel deal and to carry out the sanctions authorities. Relations between Washington and Kyiv have grown strained, with Trump criticizing Zelenskyy publicly, saying he is harder to deal with than Putin, and expressing frustration with Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. With midterm elections less than three weeks away and the cost of living a leading concern for voters, the dispute is likely to continue in Congress, where lawmakers from both parties have signaled opposition to the decision.