---
title: "Rubio Explains 60-Day Pause on Russia Sanctions: 'Trump Wants to Avoid Another Catastrophic Year'"
description: "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the 60-day pause on sanctions against Russia as Trump's desire to assess the prospects for a diplomatic settlement. Kyiv criticizes the move as strengthening Moscow's positions."
date: 2026-10-19T07:57:48.240Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/rubio-explains-60-day-pause-on-russia-sanctions
tags: [us-sanctions, russia, trump, rubio, ukraine, diplomacy, zelensky]
author: "Alexander Buran, Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Rubio Explains 60-Day Pause on Russia Sanctions: 'Trump Wants to Avoid Another Catastrophic Year'

![US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks in front of flags during a sanctions discussion](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/19/rubiyo-obosnoval-pauzu-sanktsiy-protiv-rossii-na-60-dney/rubiyo-obosnoval-pauzu-sanktsiy-protiv-rossii-na-60-dney-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Rubio stated that Trump suspended sanctions for 60 days to assess the prospects of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia
- Zelenskyy criticized the easing of sanctions pressure, pointing to the risk of strengthening Moscow's positions
- The US is preparing additional sanctions relief regarding tankers and gas while demanding that Ukraine halt strikes on Russian oil refineries
- Russia proposed holding a trilateral summit in November involving the US and China

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly justified President Donald Trump's decision to suspend a series of sanctions against Russia for a period of 60 days. According to the head of the American diplomatic department, Washington intends to use this period to assess whether current negotiations involving Ukraine and Russia can lead to a sustainable settlement. «He wants to see if there is a possibility that the negotiations currently underway involving Ukraine and Russia will lead to something positive and help avoid another catastrophic year of war and conflict,» Rubio said, commenting on the White House's motivation.

### Washington's Diplomatic Argument

At the core of the Trump administration's position is the calculation that temporarily easing sanctions pressure could serve as an incentive for Moscow to return to constructive dialogue. The president himself previously emphasized that he does not want his decisions to push Russia away from the negotiating table. In this logic, the 60-day pause acts not as a final step, but as a diagnostic tool: if negotiations do not demonstrate real progress within this timeframe, the sanctions policy can be restored to its previous volume. Such an approach, according to analysts, reflects Trump's overall strategy, in which economic pressure is viewed primarily as a lever to achieve a political result rather than an end in itself.

### Criticism from Kyiv: «Strengthening Moscow's Positions»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, by contrast, criticized the easing of sanctions pressure, calling it a step that could strengthen Moscow's positions in the war. According to him, any relaxation amid ongoing hostilities creates the risk that Russia will receive additional time and resources to prepare new offensive operations without bearing an adequate economic price. Kyiv insists that sanctions policy must remain continuous and be tightened in response to escalation, rather than being suspended unilaterally without guarantees from Moscow.

### What's Next: New Easing Measures and Demands on Ukraine

According to sources within the US government, Washington is already preparing additional packages of sanctions relief, including regarding Russia's tanker fleet and gas sector. At the same time, as the same source reports, Ukraine is being asked to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries without offering any concrete compensation or security guarantees. Such an asymmetrical approach, observers believe, increases internal tension in US-Ukrainian relations and calls into question the stability of the bilateral partnership at a time when Kyiv views sanctions as one of the key tools of pressure on Moscow.

### Alternative Tracks: Beijing and Moscow's Proposal

Against the backdrop of the US-Ukrainian discussion on sanctions, Russia has reportedly proposed holding a trilateral summit in November involving the US and China. The initiative, if implemented, could become an alternative diplomatic channel parallel to the current negotiations involving Ukraine. For Washington, participating in such a format would mean recognizing Beijing's role as an equal arbiter, which in turn raises additional questions about what concessions might be embedded in the final agreement. Thus, the 60-day pause in sanctions turns out to be inscribed in the broader context of multi-vector diplomacy, where both bilateral and multilateral negotiation tracks operate simultaneously.

## Accounts differ

### Purpose and effect of the 60-day sanctions pause

- **US Secretary of State Marco Rubio / Trump Administration:** The pause was introduced to assess whether current negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will lead to a positive result and help avoid another year of war; Trump does not want to push Russia away from the negotiating table ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-vigadali-novu-prichinu-poslablennya-1792396309.html))
- **Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:** Easing sanctions pressure could strengthen Moscow's positions in the war ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-vigadali-novu-prichinu-poslablennya-1792396309.html))

*Where they agree:* Sanctions against Russia are suspended for 60 days — this fact is recognized by both sides

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [В США придумали новую причину ослабления санкций против РФ: при чем здесь переговоры](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-vigadali-novu-prichinu-poslablennya-1792396309.html) - Rubio's quote, Trump's and Zelenskyy's statements, information about new relaxations and Russia's proposal for a summit are all from a single source. There is no independent confirmation of individual facts (especially regarding the demand for Ukraine to stop strikes and Russia's proposal for a trilateral summit) in the provided materials.

## FAQ

### How many days will the US sanctions pause against Russia last?

According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the suspension lasts for 60 days. During this period, Rubio stated, the Trump administration intends to assess whether current negotiations are leading to a positive outcome.

### Why, according to Washington, did Trump suspend sanctions?

Rubio explained the decision by the president's desire to assess the prospects of a diplomatic settlement and avoid 'another catastrophic year of war.' Trump also stated that he does not want to push Russia away from the negotiating table.

### How did Volodymyr Zelenskyy react to the sanctions pause?

Zelenskyy criticized the easing of sanctions pressure, noting that such a step could strengthen Moscow's positions in the war.

### What additional sanctions relief are the US preparing?

According to a source in the US government, relief measures regarding Russia's tankers and gas sector are being prepared. At the same time, Ukraine is being demanded to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.