In brief
President Donald Trump surprised global markets by suspending a set of sanctions against Russia in an effort to keep the Kremlin at the negotiating table. He warned that lifting the measures would not drive Russia away from the peace talks with Ukraine, citing a 60‑day pause for analysis. Zelensky Bay warned of a historic mistake in siding with Putin, while Russia’s ambassador hailed the move as a historic moment. US officials and critics argue the pause could signal increased support for Russian war efforts, especially in light of a planned diesel import deal and reported Starlink speed restrictions.
In a drama that has shocked markets, President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he would block several U.S. sanctions on Russia. The move, effective from Friday night, came two days before a slew of penalties were set to take effect amid worsening tensions with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump said he was “in the process of negotiating peace” in the war between Russia and Ukraine and that he “didn’t want to do anything that will drive foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.”
The president’s decision followed reports that Zelensky had warned in a televised interview that siding with Vladimir Putin would be a “historic mistake.” He also said the U.S. “could have made a better deal two years ago than [he can] now.”
Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s envoy to the United Nations, called the suspension an “important and truly historic moment,” arguing the sanctions would have inflicted serious damage on the U.S. and global markets. He also warned that the underlying laws were still in force.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the pause would last 60 days to assess the impact on both U.S. and international economies. He added that the U.S. would closely monitor the situation.
Ukraine’s leadership has repeatedly pushed for stringent sanctions to choke off the funding of Russia’s war effort. That made the U.S. diesel import deal—meant to lower domestic energy prices amid the Iran conflict—harshly criticised, with Zelensky calling it an investment in Russia’s war machine.
The pause has also reignited concerns over U.S. support for Ukraine’s Starlink satellite network. Kyiv officials report that the United States has linked speed restrictions to technical issues, though satellite speeds improve on EU territory.
Trump has denied any deliberate slowing of the network and has refuted claims that the U.S. stopped sharing defence intelligence with Ukraine.
Source: Reuters
