--- title: "Trump Lifts New Sanctions Against Russia: What the Executive Order Excludes and Why the Decision Sparks Controversy" description: "On October 16, 2026, Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from some sanctions and tariffs under the Lindsey Graham Act, citing national interests. The decision comes amid a diesel fuel deal and has drawn criticism from Kyiv and parts of Congress." date: 2026-10-17T07:02:42.936Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/trump-lifts-new-sanctions-against-russia tags: [trump, sanctions, russia, us-policy, energy] author: "Andrey Kosynko, Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Trump Lifts New Sanctions Against Russia: What the Executive Order Excludes and Why the Decision Sparks Controversy ![Donald Trump sits at a desk, focused while signing an official executive order at the White House](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/17/trump-otmenil-novye-sanktsii-protiv-rossii/trump-otmenil-novye-sanktsii-protiv-rossii-1.webp) ## Key Points - On October 16, 2026, Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia and Iran from a series of sanctions, restrictions, and tariffs under the Lindsey Graham Act. - The decision was made amid an agreement on Russian diesel fuel supplies to the US to lower fuel prices. - The order does not affect sanctions previously imposed on other grounds; the White House did not disclose the rationale details. - The deal and the suspension of sanctions are criticized by Zelenskyy, some American lawmakers, and European allies. On October 16, 2026, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from a significant portion of the new sanctions, restrictions, and tariffs stipulated by the Lindsey O. Graham Act, which had taken effect just last month. In the document published on the White House website, the head of state stated that waiving the application of these measures "is currently in the interests of the United States" and announced the submission of a supporting document and a report to Congress explaining the rationale for this decision. The order also extends exemptions to a number of restrictions against Iran, while sanctions previously imposed on other grounds remain in force. ### What Exactly the Executive Order Excludes The Lindsey O. Graham Act, signed on September 18, 2026, after receiving bipartisan approval in Congress, was aimed at increasing pressure on Russian officials, banks, the energy and defense sectors, and the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers which lawmakers claim is used to circumvent Western restrictions. The document also empowered the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that are the largest importers of Russian oil and gas. Trump's new executive order, however, suspended the implementation of many of these measures prior to their actual enforcement, including tariffs and restrictions against the Russian top leadership, companies, and banks. The White House has not disclosed the specific details underlying the decision. ### Connection to the Energy Agreement The decision was made about a week after Trump announced reaching an agreement with Russia on diesel fuel supplies to replenish market reserves and lower fuel prices in the US. According to observers, the move to exempt Russia from new sanctions indicates that the administration is weighing the goal of economic pressure against the priorities of domestic energy supply and price stability. This raises questions about the consistency of Washington's policy as it simultaneously pursues new restrictions while seeking to conclude energy deals with Moscow. ### Reaction from Kyiv and American Lawmakers The diesel fuel deal and the suspension of sanctions have drawn criticism. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a number of American lawmakers, and European allies argue that energy export revenues could help Russia fund its military campaign in Ukraine. Democratic members of Congress point out that the decision contradicts the original goal of the law—increasing economic pressure to end the conflict—while some warn that the White House's move could weaken Washington's support for Kyiv. ### Context and Consequences The act is named after Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away in July 2026 and advocated for increased economic pressure on Russia. Its adoption (the Senate approved the document 86 to 11, the House 262 to 159) was a rare example of bipartisan support for a sanction-heavy line. Now, the practical suspension of the law's key provisions at the executive branch level demonstrates how domestic energy agendas can override foreign policy commitments. For Moscow, this means retaining market access and avoiding a new round of restrictions; for US allies, it signals a potential fragmentation of the sanctions course and indicates that Washington's energy interests are becoming an independent factor in relations with Russia. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Президент США подписал указ, освобождающий Россию от многих санкций.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/tong-thong-my-ky-sac-lenh-mien-ap-dung-nhieu-bien-phap-trung-phat-nham-vao-nga) - Primary source: signing date 10/16/2026, content of the order, connection to the Graham Act and the diesel deal, parties' reactions. - [Трамп подписал указ о новых санкциях против России, но тут же отменил их: в чем причина и чего ...](https://ircity.ru/text/politics/2026/10/17/76707151/) - Confirms the date of the law (09/18), Senate and House votes, list of exemptions (tariffs, leadership, banks). ## FAQ ### What did Trump do on October 16, 2026? He signed an executive order exempting Russia from a portion of new sanctions, restrictions, and tariffs provided for by the Lindsey Graham Act, citing US national interests. ### Does the order affect currently active sanctions? No. The order specifies that the exemption does not affect sanctions against Russia already imposed under previous executive orders. ### Why is the decision being criticized? Kyiv, some American lawmakers, and European allies believe that revenues from energy exports could help Russia finance its military campaign, and the suspension of sanctions contradicts the purpose of the law.