U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Friday granting a waiver against sweeping penalties and tariffs directed at Russia’s energy income, weeks after the measures took effect.
The policy stems from the Lindsey Graham Act—named in honor of the late U.S. senator who authored the legislation—which grants the president authority to levy tariffs as high as 100 percent on primary buyers of Russian petroleum and natural gas.
“As described further in section 4 of this order, I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” the executive order said.
The legislation targeted President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, Russia’s defense and energy sectors, and Moscow’s alleged “shadow fleet” of tankers utilized to circumvent Western restrictions.
Trump’s decision to waive the sanctions follows a controversial arrangement struck with Putin, allowing Russia to resume diesel exports in exchange for the removal of U.S. penalties.
The agreement has strained relations between Washington and Kyiv, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to condemn the move as a “poor decision” and leading Ukrainian forces to resume strikes against Russian oil refineries.
Backstory…
In September 2026, President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Russia sanctions and Iran Act of 2026, legislation designed to intensify economic pressure on Moscow.
The law provided for tariffs of up to 100% on imports from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, alongside additional sanctions intended to restrict Russia’s access to revenue supporting its war effort.
The legislation was named after the late US Senator Lindsey Graham, who had championed tougher measures against Russia.
However, Trump’s approach to Russia has also been shaped by concerns about energy costs and his stated interest in ending the war.
In October, he announced a deal for Russia to supply diesel to the US market, a move that drew criticism from lawmakers who argued that buying Russian fuel could undermine efforts to deprive Moscow of war revenue
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