Trump paused Russia sanctions to 'analyse' impact - Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily waive sanctions and tariffs on Russia was a 60-day pause to assess their impact on the global and US economies. Trump wanted to analyze the consequences of these economic restrictions, which affected multiple countries and oil prices.

He noted that conflicts, such as the US-Iran war and Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, were influencing energy prices and economies worldwide. Trump claimed the move would benefit the US, though it remained unclear if he had decided on it. Both US lawmakers and Republicans criticized the move, with some calling it irresponsible and a mistake.

The decision came after Trump struck an agreement with Putin, allowing Russian diesel exports in exchange for sanctions easing. The impact of diesel price hikes, linked to the Iran war, was starting to affect the US economy, with cost of living concerns topping voters' worries ahead of the midterm elections. Ukraine's President Zelensky expressed fears that the US might impose further sanctions on Russia, seeing Trump's action as rewarding Putin's actions.