Trump Signs Order Waiving Russia Sanctions
The move reverses a law signed weeks earlier as the Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year.
By Alessia Diallo ·
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 16 waiving new sanctions on Russia. The action came one month after he signed the legislation that created those penalties.
The war in Ukraine has continued for more than four and a half years. Fighting persists despite repeated attempts by the administration to stop the conflict.
Trump pledged to end the war before taking office. At a July 7, 2023 rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, he said he wanted people to stop dying. He stated, “That’s the side I’m on.”
The promise has not yet been fulfilled. Trump has met twice with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. He also met once with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025.
After the Alaska summit, Trump described the meeting as productive. He noted that they agreed on many points but had not reached a final deal. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he said.
The sanctions law was named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The bipartisan bill imposed tariffs and penalties targeting Russia. Trump signed it into law on September 18 before reversing the measures with his new executive order.
Source: WALA-TV
