Trump suspends "Graham Law" sanctions on Russia hours before deadline

Why it matters

Trump waived a sweeping sanctions package directed at Russia and the largest buyers of its energy exports less than 48 hours before its provisions were legally required to take effect, only weeks after signing the law himself. While the order formally codifies the tariffs, it leaves them inactive and gives the president discretion to activate them later — meaning the measures remain an available lever rather than a settled policy. The decision was condemned across the aisle: 12 senators called the related Russian diesel arrangement a "betrayal of the Ukrainian people," and 22 House members from both parties had already demanded full enforcement of the law. The waiver also helps Trump sidestep a confrontation with China, India and Turkey, the largest buyers of Russian energy products, all of which had objected to the law's extraterritorial reach. It comes amid documented deterioration in Trump's relations with President Volodymyr Zelensky and US pressure on Kyiv to stop strikes on Russian oil facilities — moves that have fueled concern among European allies about a broader weakening of American support for Ukraine.

What happened

On 16 October 2026, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the application of all sanctions, restrictions and tariffs provided for by the "Graham Law" (the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026) against Russia. He invoked Section 115 of the law, which allows the president to waive its measures by certifying in writing to Congress that doing so is in the US national interest, accompanied by a report explaining the basis for the decision.

Congress had passed the law on 17 September 2026 and Trump had signed it on 19 September 2026. The law set a 30-day implementation deadline that was due to expire on 18 October 2026 and provided for 100% tariffs on goods from the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas, 500% tariffs on Russian energy imports into the US, and expanded sanctions on Russian legal entities, oligarchs, banks, shadow-fleet vessels and foreign persons supporting Russia's war against Ukraine. The executive order formally establishes those tariffs but suspends their application, meaning they are not in force but Trump could activate them later at his discretion. The suspension will remain in effect until Trump or senior officials of his administration determine that further measures are warranted. The order does not cancel sanctions previously imposed against Russia under other US executive orders.

According to Bloomberg, Trump cancelled the tariffs because they complicated his efforts to lower US diesel prices ahead of the 3 November midterm elections; Reuters-cited analysts said new sanctions could have driven oil prices higher and hurt Republicans at the polls. The waiver also avoids a potential conflict with the largest buyers of Russian energy products — China, India and Turkey — all of which had publicly objected to the law's extraterritorial reach.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

All eight sources covering the executive order are Ukrainian outlets and agencies (Ukrainska Pravda, Suspilne Novyny, NV, Ukrinform, hromadske, ZN.UA, LIGA.net and LB.ua). They frame the order as a politically significant retreat from sanctions legislation only weeks after Trump signed the law himself, and they center the timing relative to the 18 October 2026 implementation deadline. Ukrainian coverage foregrounds the bipartisan congressional backlash — the 12-senator letter calling the related Russian diesel arrangement a "betrayal of the Ukrainian people" and the appeal from 22 House members from both parties demanding full enforcement of the law.

The outlets highlight that the decision came alongside US pressure on Kyiv to stop strikes on Russian oil facilities, threats reportedly conveyed through the Financial Times to halt weapons purchases and intelligence sharing, and earlier public criticism of President Volodymyr Zelensky by Trump. Zelensky called the Trump-Putin arrangement on Russian diesel "obvious weakness that plays into Russia's hands." Ukrainian sources situate the waiver within a broader shift away from supporting Ukraine, against the backdrop of deteriorating Trump-Zelensky relations and European allies' concerns about a possible weakening of American backing for Kyiv.

Where reporting differs

Sources differ on what specifically the waiver covers: most describe it as suspending all sanctions, restrictions and tariffs provided for by the Graham Law, while some headlines and summaries focus narrowly on the cancellation of tariffs — specifically sections 112 and 113 of the law — and others frame it as suspending measures targeting buyers of Russian energy products rather than Russia itself.

Two facts present conflicting details about which countries the 100% tariff provision targets: one states the law covers the five largest buyers of Russian oil, while another states it covers the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas plus five additional countries that knowingly help evade sanctions.

Sources also conflict on the year OFAC General License No. 135 was issued: one fact dates the license to 9 October 2026, while another dates it to 9 October 2025.

Background

The "Graham Law" (H.R. 5334) was initiated by Senators Lindsey Graham, a Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and originally registered in the Senate in April 2025. Senator Graham died suddenly on 11 July 2026, shortly after announcing an agreement with the White House on an updated version of the bill during a press conference in Kyiv; a somewhat softened version of the bill was presented on 14 July 2026. Congress passed the law on 17 September 2026 and Trump signed it on 19 September 2026, setting a 30-day implementation deadline of 18 October 2026.

The law mandated 100% tariffs on goods from the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas, 500% tariffs on Russian energy imports into the US, and sanctions on Russian legal entities, oligarchs, banks, shadow-fleet vessels and foreign persons supporting Russia's war against Ukraine. On 9 October 2026, the US Treasury's OFAC issued General License No. 135 permitting transactions involving Russian diesel fuel, and Trump announced an arrangement under which Russian diesel would be supplied to world markets. On 14 October 2026, a bipartisan group of 12 senators sent Trump a letter calling the arrangement a "betrayal of the Ukrainian people," and 22 House members from both parties separately called on Trump to fully apply the Graham Law. The White House also pressured Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil facilities, reportedly threatening to halt weapons purchases and intelligence sharing; Ukraine briefly agreed but later resumed attacks, while Russia continued striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.