Slick diplomacy: Trump’s crude u-turn on Russia sanctions bails out India

For months, President Donald Trump and his supporters threatened to "crush" India's economy for purchasing Russian oil. However, the United States faced soaring fuel prices and a looming mid-term election defeat, prompting the president to reverse his stance. In an executive order issued on Friday, most of the Russia sanctions were put on hold, effectively exempting India.

The presidential U-turn invoked the authority to waive provisions of the Graham Act, which included 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs on the top buyers of Russian oil and gas. The waiver came after Trump announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel fuel, despite his administration's turn against Ukraine.

While the executive order leaves room for reversing sanctions, Trump's decision risks becoming less of an instrument of coercion and more of a negotiating prop. India, relieved of the prospect of high tariffs, may be seen as bargaining for economic advice from Washington. Despite the relief, the political embarrassment and diplomatic debacle stemming from the bill's authors' harsh rhetoric remains unresolved.