Zelensky on Trump waiving Russia sanctions: ‘This Act could have helped enormously’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decried President Trump’s late-night decision to waive sanctions and tariffs against Russia days before they were set to take effect under a new law.

“At a time when the Russians have carried out such a massive attack on our energy sector, a decision was unfortunately made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end,” Zelensky wrote in Saturday morning statement posted to social platform X .

“This Act could have helped enormously – and still can! But it needs to actually work, and every voice in support of it matters,” the Ukrainian leader continued.

The sweeping legislative sanctions package , which was named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), would have raised tariffs up to 100 percent on goods imported to the U.S. from the five largest purchasers of Russian fuel amid the country’s yearslong war against Ukraine. Trump signed the package into law last month.

On Friday night, the president issued an executive order that waived this sanction package, saying it was “in the national interests of the United States.” This followed his decision last week to ease sanctions on Russian oil, permitting the country to “immediately” begin selling 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and global markets.

These relief measures come amid rising fuel costs in the U.S. and abroad brought on by the Iran war, which have placed pressure on the Trump administration to address Americans’ affordability concerns ahead of the midterm elections.

Ukraine and Russia have targeted each other’s energy infrastructure in recent military operations. Zelensky reported Saturday that Russia had “scaled up” these attacks, launching over 320 attack drones against Ukraine’s energy sector in a 12-hour period starting yesterday evening.

The Ukrainian leader accused the Russian government of “trying to cause a blackout in Ukraine” before the winter season.

“Pressure is needed to stop this,” he said in his Saturday statement. “A U.S. sanctions blackout, easing pressure on the aggressor, financial rewards for Putin – all of this only encourages him to keep attacking. “

Zelensky added, “We must not give up ground. We must keep trying to end the war. To end it, not give Putin every reason to continue it indefinitely. I thank everyone who is truly fighting for peace and helping Ukraine!”