Trump pauses new Russia sanctions passed by Congress amid deepening row with Ukraine

Environmental group Urgewald has compiled a list of all the 134 ships involved in the import of Russian gas since 2022, which have transported over 150 million metric tons of cargo during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to data provided to the Kyiv Independent. As of October 15, an additional 1.5 million metric tons were en route.

This revelation comes as U.S. President Donald Trump issued a waiver on October 16, effectively nullifying a set of sanctions that were scheduled to take effect two days later under a law championed by the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. The law was intended to penalize Russia by imposing tariffs of up to 100% on the top five countries purchasing Russian gas and oil, and to target Russian officials, banks, and the energy sector, including ships engaged in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.

Alexander Kirk, a sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, stated that Trump's action is a "betrayal of the bipartisan effort behind this law and a lifeline to Putin." Between the law's signing on September 18 and October 15, 42 tankers had transported Russian gas, including ships like Boris Davydov, Konstantin Posiet, and Clean Horizon.

However, Trump has taken steps to accommodate Russia, including announcing a deal to purchase Russian diesel. Congress must now challenge this retreat and demand an explanation of whose interests are served by allowing Russia's energy trade to remain unpenalized. The EU, which remains the primary buyer of Russian LNG, is set to implement a full import ban in January 2027. Urgewald's findings highlight the continued reliance on Western services for Russia's LNG trade.