Trump Pauses New Russia Sanctions, Says He Does Not Want to Push Moscow Away From Peace Talks
US President Donald Trump has halted new sanctions against Russia, saying he does not want to drive Moscow away from the negotiating table over the war in Ukraine. He also accused Volodymyr Zelensky of prolonging the conflict.
Trump's rationale for the pause
Donald Trump said in a Sunday post on Truth Social that he had decided to hold off on imposing new sanctions on Russia, according to RMF24. He argued that he is negotiating a settlement between Moscow and Kyiv and wants to avoid any step that could pull Russia away from the talks, pointing to progress that includes current negotiations over hostages. Radio ZET reported the same justification (Trump wstrzymał sankcje na Rosję. Teraz wskazuje powód i uderza w Zełenskiego - Wiadomości Radio ZET – wiadomosci.radiozet.pl).
Scope of the suspension
RP.pl reported that on October 16 Trump signed an order suspending the entry into force of all sanctions and tariffs against Russia and its trading partners provided for in a recently adopted law named after Senator Lindsey Graham (Donald Trump ponownie uderza w Wołodymyra Zełenskiego. „Nigdy nie chciał zakończenia wojny” - rp.pl – rp.pl). Secretary of State Marco Rubio linked the move to a 60-day review by the White House of the economic effects of secondary tariffs that the law allows on Russia's trade partners, a period Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also mentioned. The signed order itself has no time limit and does not mention that 60-day window, the agency noted.
Possible future sanctions
Trump left open the option of introducing sanctions later if needed, and said Russia was doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressing hope that this would continue. Radio ZET noted the same point.
Criticism of Zelensky
In the same post Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He claimed that Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries harm the global economy by pushing up diesel prices, hurting farmers, livestock producers and businesses, and said Zelensky does not want to end the war and probably never did. Radio ZET reported that Trump also accused Zelensky of seeking to extend the fighting.
Context for readers
The decision marks a shift in Washington's approach at a point when the US administration is simultaneously seeking a negotiated end to the war and weighing the costs of tariffs on Russia's trading partners. Reports differ on the duration of the pause: the signed order has no fixed end date, while officials spoke of a 60-day review.
Sources
- [1]Trump wstrzymuje sankcje. Nie chce odciągać Rosji od stołu negocjacyjnego· rmf24.pl
- [2]Donald Trump ponownie uderza w Wołodymyra Zełenskiego. „Nigdy nie chciał zakończenia wojny” - rp.pl· rp.pl
- [3]Trump wstrzymał sankcje na Rosję. Teraz wskazuje powód i uderza w Zełenskiego - Wiadomości Radio ZET· wiadomosci.radiozet.pl
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