Trump Waives Russia Sanctions Under Graham Act

President Donald Trump waived key sanctions and tariffs under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which he signed into law last month, shortly before the measures were due to take effect. The law authorized tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and up to 100% on imports from major buyers of Russian oil and gas and facilitators of sanctions evasion. Trump certified to Congress that the waiver was in the U.S. national interest. The decision eases the immediate threat of a tariff confrontation for Russian energy buyers including India, China and Turkey, and may give the administration more flexibility to increase fuel supplies and address high U.S. prices. It follows Trump’s announcement of a deal with Vladimir Putin to release Russian diesel to global markets and a worsening public rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Democratic lawmakers and other critics condemned the waiver as a concession to Putin and a betrayal of Ukraine; Trump retains authority to restore the measures.