Zelensky Slams Trump’s Russia Sanctions Waiver

The zelensky russia sanctions waiver clash broke into the open Saturday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called President Donald Trump’s decision to lift sweeping penalties on Moscow a mistake that will embolden more Russian attacks.

Writing on X, Zelenskyy said the move undid months of hard-won bipartisan work in Washington. “The decision to undo all of this, to block all of it, seems wrong to me,” he wrote. “It definitely helps only the Russians.”

“This Certainly Does Not Stop the War”

Zelenskyy warned that Trump’s latest step only feeds Vladimir Putin’s appetite for further strikes. He said Russian forces hit more than 15 Ukrainian power generation and transmission sites on Friday and accused Moscow of preparing to escalate attacks in western Ukraine.

“It only fuels their satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people,” Zelenskyy wrote. “This certainly does not stop the war.” He predicted the waiver would be followed by even more American sanctions relief for Russia.

Friday’s Waiver, Backed by Congress

Trump signed an executive order Friday night waiving key Russia-related US sanctions and tariffs — including duties on Russian goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas — that had been scheduled to take effect under the Graham Act, the law he signed in September.

Trump said the waiver was in the national interests of the United States. Zelenskyy, who thanked US lawmakers for the overwhelming bipartisan backing behind the law, has argued the sanctions were the one lever capable of forcing Moscow toward a settlement.

Moscow Calls It “Historic”

Russia welcomed the decision. Investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the waiver “a truly historic moment” on X, arguing that had the penalties taken effect, they could have brought all economic cooperation between Russia and the United States to a halt.

Source: Reuters