Trump Pauses Key Parts of New Russia Sanctions Package
An executive order exempts several sanctions and tariffs set to take effect Oct. 18, while leaving existing Russia measures intact.
Key takeaways
- Trump’s order exempts major provisions of a Russia sanctions law due to take effect Oct. 18.
- The order leaves sanctions already in force against Russia unchanged.
President Donald Trump signed an order suspending major parts of a new Russia sanctions law, two days before its provisions were due to take effect on Oct. 18. The White House said the decision was made in the United States’ national interests.
The law, signed by Trump on Sept. 18, included sanctions on Russian officials, banks and financial institutions, as well as tariffs tied to Russian energy imports. The order exempts numerous provisions, including tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and 100% on imports from major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
The exemptions are set to remain in place until Trump or relevant cabinet officials decide further action is needed. Existing measures against Russia remain unchanged, according to the White House order.
The decision drew criticism from some members of both parties in Congress. Before it was issued, 20 Democratic and Republican lawmakers had urged Trump to implement the law fully and without delay.
This article was produced with the help of AI technology. Based on reporting by the outlets listed above.
