President Donald Trump defended his decision to delay sanctions against Russia, arguing that keeping Vladimir Putin engaged in peace negotiations and maintaining fuel supplies outweigh the immediate pressure on Moscow.
Trump Says Russia Sanctions Could Derail Peace Talks
In a lengthy Truth Social post over the weekend, Trump said imposing the sanctions now could push Russia away from negotiations to end its war with Ukraine.
The president also argued that Moscow had done relatively little to assist Iran and said he wanted to preserve that situation.
Trump Blames Zelenskyy for Diesel Market Disruptions
The president also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of targeting Russian oil refineries despite the potential consequences for global fuel markets.
He argued that the attacks were hurting American farmers, ranchers and businesses by disrupting diesel supplies.
Trump also pointed to Russia’s continued diesel exports, saying Moscow was supplying millions of barrels to global markets at low prices.
"Zelenskyy doesn’t care," Trump wrote, accusing the Ukrainian leader of resisting a settlement despite receiving substantial financial assistance from the U.S. and Europe.
The president added, "I WANT THIS WAR END!"
Trump Pauses Russia Sanctions for 60 Days
Trump delayed the sanctions Friday, two days before they were scheduled to take effect.
He signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in mid-September, introducing measures aimed at pressuring Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the move as a 60-day pause to evaluate their potential impact on the U.S. and global economies.
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the decision, calling it an "important and truly historic moment." He argued the sanctions could have inflicted significant economic damage.
As of 9:33 p.m. EDT, WTI crude oil fell 0.57% to $99.42 per barrel, while Brent crude declined 1.62% to $108.08 per barrel as of 2:37 a.m. BST.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average price of regular gasoline is $4.2988 per gallon and premium costs $5.2049.
Diesel prices average $6.3224 per gallon, while E85 averages $3.3168 per gallon.
Zelenskyy Warns Against Easing Pressure on Russia
Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for stronger sanctions against Russia, arguing that its energy revenues help finance the invasion launched in February 2022.
Following Trump’s latest decision, the Ukrainian president warned on NBC News that siding with Putin would be a "historic mistake" and expressed concern that Washington could ease additional restrictions.
Zelenskyy has also raised concerns that restrictions could affect Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s (NASDAQ:SPCX) Starlink, the satellite internet network used by Ukrainian forces and U.S. intelligence sharing.
Trump has denied deliberately slowing Starlink or halting intelligence cooperation.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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