Trump defends waiving new Russia sanctions, saying it keeps Moscow at the negotiating table
The Hill, Newsweek and RFE/RL reported that Trump posted on Truth Social on Oct. 18 that he did not want to drive Russia away from the bargaining table. He said progress was being made, including in hostage negotiations, and RFE/RL said he gave no details. RFE/RL reported the waiver came through an Oct. 16 executive order setting aside penalties required by legislation named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. On Oct. 9, OFAC issued General License 135 allowing Russian-origin diesel sales and imports through April 2027, Deccan Herald reported. Trump said Russia would supply more than 300,000 metric tons at once; the Kremlin gave no figures. Axios reported that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave different explanations of the diesel deal.
Sanctions are one of the few levers Washington holds over Moscow without sending troops, so setting them aside changes the terms of any peace talks. The diesel license also ties U.S. fuel prices to Russian supply weeks before the midterms, which mixes energy policy with foreign policy.
If you buy diesel or pay for trucked goods, the White House is betting this deal lowers prices; analysts quoted by several outlets doubt the volumes are big enough to move them much. If you follow Ukraine, the waiver means fewer new costs for Russia while talks continue.
Supporters, including the president and Wright, argue that keeping Russia at the table and adding fuel supply serves both peace and household budgets. In their view, new penalties now would only harden Moscow's position and could push it closer to Iran.
Critics, including Republicans who backed the sanctions bill and Zelenskyy, say pressure is what brings Russia to negotiate, and easing it rewards the invasion. Rubio's remark that Russia would sell the fuel anyway undercut the idea that the diesel deal is a concession from Moscow.
What is confirmed: the Oct. 16 waiver, the diesel license running to April 2027 and Trump's Sunday defense. What is not: who the hostages are, and whether Russia will deliver the volumes Trump named. Watch whether Congress moves to force the sanctions and whether the White House answers the 22 House members.
DailyDrop U.S. No. 15 · October 19, 2026