Trump’s decision to waive Russian sanctions outrages Congress, but no quick counter seen

Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implored supporters on Saturday to advocate for fresh U.S. sanctions against Russia, shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending a comprehensive set of restrictions aimed at the Russian economy. The White House's decision has heightened apprehensions that Ukraine may be left vulnerable to Moscow's intensifying offensives as winter looms.

Russian attacks overnight claimed at least four lives, including an ambulance driver, and injured dozens, according to officials. Ukrainian drones struck a Russian border region and disrupted flights at Moscow's airports, as per Russian authorities.

In a statement on social media, Zelenskyy labeled Trump's move to delay sanctions as unfortunate, though he refrained from directly criticizing the U.S. leader amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Washington in recent days. "An unfortunate decision was made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was meant to exert decisive pressure on Russia to bring this war to a close," Zelenskyy posted.

Later, in interviews with journalists, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Democrats and Republicans who supported the legislation and commended its bipartisan backing. He emphasized that blocking the bill would embolden Russia to continue its killing spree and would do nothing to end the conflict. "Nevertheless, we very much hope — and I personally hope — that the president of the United States of America will do everything possible to make Putin stop the killing, stop the attacks on our energy infrastructure, and end this war," Zelenskyy stated.

Named after the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, the legislation aimed to expedite the restriction of financial resources fueling Russia's four-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine. The bill targeted Russian officials, banks, and a network of tankers that maintained Russia's energy supply. Trump personally approved the legislation last month, and his action came just two days before the deadline set in the law for its enforcement.

The president informed Congress that the pause was in the national interest but provided no additional details. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, co-author of the bill, criticized Trump in a statement, accusing him of abandoning "the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, and our European allies." Blumenthal argued that the waivers were irrelevant to national security and were instead meant to curry favor with Vladimir Putin.

Trump's sudden decision comes a week after he announced that the U.S. intended to purchase diesel from Russia to help lower global energy prices, a move that has been heavily criticized by both Republicans and Democrats. They contend that the deal would aid Russia in its war against Ukraine without affecting global fuel prices, which are largely driven by Trump's conflict in Iran.

Zelenskyy also reported on Saturday that Moscow had conducted a massive assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, targeting more than 15 sites across the nation. "The sheer scale and relentless pace of Russia's strikes, especially against our energy sector, are regrettably causing significant damage," he said. The Ukrainian air force reported that Russian forces deployed four cruise missiles and 332 attack drones overnight, with all missiles and 289 drones being neutralized.

Russia's heavy bombardment of the power grid prior to winter has become a recurring tactic, aimed at wearing down Ukraine's resolve by depriving civilians of heat and running water. Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is amassing ballistic missiles for additional attacks in the coming months. In Sloviansk, Vadym Liakh, head of the city's military administration, confirmed that three people were killed when Russian forces destroyed two apartment blocks and damaged numerous homes.

Liakh also reported that an ambulance driver was injured in the attack. In Kherson, Yaroslav Shanko, the region's military administration head, disclosed that a Russian strike using guided bombs killed an ambulance driver and left at least 33 others wounded. Russian forces killed a woman in a Ukrainian drone strike in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to local officials.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its forces shot down 610 Ukrainian drones overnight over 15 regions in Russia, as well as Crimea and the Black Sea. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that more than 350 flights were canceled or delayed at Moscow's airports due to incoming drones. The Kremlin announced on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had authorized a government program to aid in restoring trade and logistics facilities damaged by drone attacks.