Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil

President Trump has opted to waive certain sanctions and high tariffs on key purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas, as outlined in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act. This law, signed by Trump earlier this month, was designed to apply pressure on Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. However, the law includes a clause allowing the president to waive portions of it if he deems it in the national interest.

In an executive order, Trump invoked this provision and notified Congress of the waivers. Trump also lifted the 500% tariffs on Russian goods and paused other sanctions against the country. These decisions, made last Friday, come after a week of easing restrictions on Russian diesel and a recent deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import diesel to the U.S. market.

The waivers are set to remain in place until administration officials determine whether further action is warranted and have directed officials to monitor countries that import Russian energy or circumvent sanctions. The move represents a shift in U.S. policy, which has long imposed strict sanctions on Russia to deter its aggression in Ukraine.

However, as oil prices have remained elevated due to the Iran conflict, Trump has increasingly focused on the Russia-Ukraine situation, advocating for both nations to cease attacks on each other's energy infrastructure. This decision has sparked criticism in Congress, with a bipartisan group of senators accusing Trump of betraying Ukraine and urging him to uphold the sanctions and tariffs outlined in the Graham law.