Zelenskyy warns Trump lifting sanctions on Russia will intensify war
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Donald Trump's lifting of sanctions on Russia amounts to a "reward" for Vladimir Putin and will encourage him to intensify the war in Ukraine. His warning came as Trump put a hold on a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy.
A domestic gas stove ring burning with a low blue flame in a dimly lit apartment kitchen at dusk.
The 'diesel deal' is only the first step, Zelenskyy says
Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Donald Trump's decision to roll back sanctions on Russia as a "reward" for Vladimir Putin, warning that it would embolden the Russian president rather than restrain him. Speaking on Saturday, he said he expected the Trump administration to lift further sanctions against Russia in the future, and he called for Europe to establish its own negotiations with Moscow.
The Ukrainian leader tied the move to an earlier US agreement to buy Russian fuel. Trump's sanctions pause came a week after he said Washington had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down global energy prices. According to Trump, Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, with further deliveries to follow.
- Trump said a further 500,000 tonnes would arrive in November.
- He said 1m tonnes would follow immediately thereafter.
- He added that 3m more tonnes would come within a short period.
Zelenskyy said the fuel arrangement would not stop Putin, who he said feels joy at the support, and predicted more concessions would follow.
"Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions will continue, and I believe that the 'diesel deal' is the first step."
In a social media message, he wrote: "A US sanctions blackout, easing pressure on the aggressor, financial rewards for Putin – all of this only encourages him to keep attacking."
What the paused Graham act would have done
On Friday, the US president announced that he would put a hold on a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. The legislation was due to be implemented in two days.
The act was named after the late senator Lindsey Graham, who championed the legislation. Had it taken effect, its provisions would have included:
- a 100% tariff on major importers of Russian oil such as China and India;
- sanctions on Russia's energy sector, financial institutions and shadow tanker fleet;
- sanctions on Russian officials and banks.
The act would have directed Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas. It contained an exception for countries importing under 15% of Russia's gas exports that had reduced their imports significantly.
Zelenskyy said on Saturday that the decision to waive the sanctions would encourage Vladimir Putin to intensify the war in Ukraine, and he called for US support to resurrect the bill.
Warning timed with a massive strike on Ukraine's grid
The Ukrainian president said the timing of the decision could not have been worse. In his words, the choice to ignore the Lindsey Graham law came at the moment Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine's energy sector.
"At the time when the Russians launched such a massive strike against our energy sector, in America, regrettably, a decision was made."
Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russia had carried out one of its worst strikes yet on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, hitting more than 15 critical power generation and transmission facilities and causing "severe consequences". He also said Ukraine's dwindling stock of anti-air weapons made it difficult to shoot down many of the nightly loitering munitions, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
Moscow welcomes the pause
The Russian response was swift and positive. Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian presidential envoy, welcomed the move, saying: "The Trump administration's suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment."
For his part, Zelenskyy said he hopes the US president will do everything so that Putin stops the killings and strikes on energy infrastructure – but he argued that this cannot be achieved by restricting Ukraine's responses or by lifting sanctions. He said he hopes Trump will act to stop the strikes, and called for US backing to bring the Graham bill back to life.
