Overview
- The president issued an executive order that suspends or exempts many sanctions, restrictions and tariff penalties on Russia that Congress approved and that were about to take effect.
- The administration formally notified Congress that the exemption serves U.S. national interests, changing near-term enforcement of the law Mr. Trump signed last month.
- Russian officials hailed the move and some U.S. lawmakers and Ukraine supporters criticized it as a rollback that weakens pressure on Moscow.
- Countries that import large amounts of Russian energy, including India, had raised concerns about the original law because its tariffs could have raised costs and disrupted trade.
- The underlying 2026 statute would have allowed customs duties of up to 100% on goods tied to the top five importers of Russian oil or gas and on actors that knowingly help Russia evade U.S. restrictions, a mechanism now paused by the administration's exemption.