- The White House released an executive order late Friday waiving new Graham Act sanctions on Russia, citing the national interests of the United States.
- The waiver lets the administration avoid new secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil, including China and India.
- The waiver follows a diesel sales deal allowing Russia to sell diesel internationally, and Trump's easing of pressure over Ukraine's Starlink use and Russian involvement in the Iran war.
- Democrats including Rep. Don Beyer and Sen. Richard Blumenthal condemned the waiver, and Republicans criticized the diesel deal.
Quotes
“I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States”
“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”