In brief
Trump has paused several Russian sanctions, citing a desire to keep Moscow at the negotiating table in the Ukraine conflict. On Truth Social he warned that any action that might drive Russia away from diplomacy would be avoided. The move comes two days before the sanctions were due to take full effect, amidst a worsening spat with President Zelensky who has demanded an end to the war. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the decision historic, warning of serious damage to the global market. The waiver is weakening a key US‑Ukraine partnership and raising questions about the future of peace negotiations.
President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he is "in the process of negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine" and that he does not want to do "anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table".
Two days before they were scheduled to take effect, Trump blocked numerous sanctions that the U.S. had targeted at the Kremlin. The waivers are intended to keep Moscow engaged in negotiations, according to the former president.
The decision has inflamed a growing rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who told NBC News that siding with President Vladimir Putin would be a "historic mistake". Zelensky has repeatedly urged Russia to negotiate, insisting that Putin does not desire peace but rather wants to sustain the war that began in February 2022.
In response, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called Trump’s order an "important and truly historic moment" and warned that the sanctions would have inflicted "serious damage" on the U.S. and the global market.
The suspension is also part of a broader diplomatic strain. The U.S. had agreed to import Russian diesel last week, a move that Ukraine condemned as a withdrawal of key military support. Zelensky called the administration's actions "disgraceful" in a recent statement to the EU summit, noting that he had never wanted continued fighting.
With these developments, the window for renewed peace negotiations narrows, while diplomatic and economic ties between Washington and Kyiv may become increasingly tested. The international community watches as the U.S. balances pressure on Moscow with support for Ukraine, a balancing act that will define the next phase of the conflict.
