Trump to Delay Decision on Sanctions and Tariffs Targeting Russia: Rubio

President Donald Trump has postponed a final decision on reinstating sanctions and tariffs on Russian exports and is taking up to 60 days to review the economic impact of the delay, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday.

Trump on Oct. 16 waived newly authorized Russia-related sanctions and tariffs, including penalties targeting the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas. The law allowed tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from those countries and up to 500 percent on Russian imports.

Trump cited national interest without explaining specifically how the waiver served it. The action followed an agreement to temporarily lift sanctions in exchange for Russian diesel supplies, which Trump said would lower fuel prices.

The waiver has no fixed expiration date. It remains effective until Trump or the Secretary of State decides that further action is appropriate.

The late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) spearheaded the legislation that was signed by Trump on Sept. 18.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was critical of Trump’s decision to delay sanctions on Russia.

Zelenskyy said on X on Saturday that it has been “difficult” without Graham.

“I want to thank both Democrats and Republicans who supported his bill. That was a major victory: this truly bipartisan support,” Zelenskyy said.

“And now, the decision to undo all of this, to block all of it, seems wrong to me. And it definitely helps only the Russians. It only fuels their satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people. This certainly does not stop the war.”

Trump said on Oct. 10 that Ukraine should replace Zelenskyy, accusing him of rejecting opportunities to end the war and attacking Russian refineries despite requests to stop.

Trump said that the refinery strikes disrupted global diesel supplies and hurt American farmers and ranchers. His criticism followed Zelenskyy’s objections to a U.S. agreement that would allow Russia to export diesel despite sanctions.

Under the agreement announced Oct. 9, Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons in December. Another 3 million tons could follow, depending on refinery conditions.

Trump said the additional supplies would lower diesel prices, which had risen during the conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said Russian diesel revenues would finance weapons, missiles, drones, and mercenaries. He also accused Washington of using negotiations with Ukrainian officials as a smokescreen for its dealings with Russia.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) all criticized the diesel deal with Russia, saying it was”a total betrayal of Ukraine.”

“The President must end his war with Iran instead of funding Russia’s war machine,” the Democratic senators said in a statement.

Gas prices in the United States have risen significantly over the past year but are starting to decline.

The national U.S. average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $4.29 on Oct. 18, according to AAA. It was $3.04 a year ago but $4.46 on Sept. 18.

The average price of diesel was $6.32 a gallon as of Oct. 18. A gallon of diesel fuel was $3.63 a year ago.

The cost of gas could be a determining factor in the upcoming midterm elections.

Pollster Robert Cahaly told The Epoch Times in September the rising price of fuel and related costs were “the only real factor that’s having an impact.”

Trump has repeatedly said he would give each American adult a $5,000 check if Republicans maintained control of the Senate and House after the midterms.

Timothy Frudd, Jeremy Lott, and Reuters contributed to this report.