Trump blocking Russia sanctions a ‘historic moment’, says Putin’s envoy

Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev hailed US President Donald Trump's decision to waive sanctions on Russia as a "historic moment" on Saturday. The executive order signed by Trump on Friday suspended sanctions targeting Russia's energy and defense sectors, as well as President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials. This move, which came two days before the sanctions were set to take effect, has sparked speculation that Trump is aligning more closely with Russia in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Dmitriev's comments came amid a dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which has fueled speculation that Trump is increasingly siding with Moscow. The Kremlin and Putin, who appeared in military uniform on Friday and stated that Russia aims to seize the rest of Ukraine, have yet to react to the sanctions waiver. However, the move is seen as a significant diplomatic victory for Russia.

The Lindsey Graham Act, named after the late US senator who sponsored the bill, was designed to impose severe economic penalties on Russia. These sanctions targeted the country's energy and defense industries, as well as Putin and other high-ranking officials. Dmitriev argued that the suspension of these sanctions would have caused significant damage to the US economy and global markets. The West imposed these sanctions when Russia began its military intervention in Ukraine in 2022.