Volodymyr Zelensky launches blistering attack on Donald Trump's decision to waive sanctions on Russia

The measures would have imposed penalties on purchases of Russian oil and gas and duties on Russian goods, all scheduled to begin this week.

President Zelensky declared: "The decision to undo all of this, to block all of it, seems wrong to me. It definitely helps only the Russians."

The White House has since justified the move as being in America's national interest.

President Trump signed the Graham Act, formally known as the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, in mid-September.

The legislation was designed to ratchet up economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022.

It threatened tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods entering the US from the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil or gas, as well as any nation knowingly buying Russian energy or helping Moscow circumvent existing sanctions.

However, the Act included a built-in escape clause, allowing the President to waive sanctions after notifying Congress that he deemed them contrary to the national interest.

Friday's executive order said the waiver would remain in effect until Trump or senior officials decided "further action is appropriate."

Russia's investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev hailed it as "a truly historic moment," writing on social media that the penalties, had they taken effect, could have effectively ended all economic cooperation between the two countries.

Analysts have noted the sanctions could have pushed oil prices higher at a moment when American consumers are already grappling with rising costs, largely linked to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Both China and India, major buyers of Russian crude, objected to the Graham Act.

Beijing opposed what it called baseless long-arm jurisdiction, whilst New Delhi cautioned that fresh tariffs risked damaging bilateral relations with Washington.

Darline Graham, appointed to her late brother's Senate seat and endorsed by President Trump ahead of the midterms, stopped short of openly rebuking the president.

Speaking to reporters at a campaign event on Saturday, she said: "Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia. Because I don't trust Putin and I don't trust Russia."

Democratic Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia was far more direct in his condemnation.

He said: "Trump's latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression."

President Zelensky warned that Russia was planning to intensify its bombardment of western Ukraine, noting that more than 15 Ukrainian power generation and transmission facilities were hit on Friday alone.

He said: "It only fuels their satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people. This certainly does not stop the war."