Story perspectives

Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions, Sparks Ukraine Backlash

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 12:03 PM UTC · How we work

Left

Waiver Fuels Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Oct. 16, 2026, suspending the Russia sanctions he signed the month before.
Critics say the waiver will channel revenue to Moscow and erode Ukraine’s capacity to resist Russia’s invasion.
The Graham-named bill imposes up to 100 % tariffs on the five largest Russian oil-gas importers.
Rep. Don Beyer and bipartisan senators urged Congress to amend the law, calling it capitulation.

Right

Trump Promises Diesel

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Oct. 16, 2026, waiving the new Russia sanctions package.
Supporters say the waiver is a presidential tool to lower gas prices and end the war.
Trump announced Russia could supply over 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, with shipments in November.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) posted on X that the president is prolonging the war.

History

Historical Context

Following Russia’s February 2014 annexation of Crimea, the United States and EU imposed coordinated sanctions—U.S. bans on Rosneft and Gazprombank on 16 July 2014 and the EU’s third-round embargo on 31 July 2014—freezing about $400 billion of Russian central-bank reserves. President Trump’s October 2026 order to lift those sanctions revives the 2014 pressure-and-concession pattern, prompting Rep. Don Beyer and Sen. Chris Murphy to warn of renewed war financing.

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Waiver Fuels Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Oct. 16, 2026, suspending the Russia sanctions he signed the month before.
Critics say the waiver will channel revenue to Moscow and erode Ukraine’s capacity to resist Russia’s invasion.
The Graham-named bill imposes up to 100 % tariffs on the five largest Russian oil-gas importers.
Rep. Don Beyer and bipartisan senators urged Congress to amend the law, calling it capitulation.

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