A Decree Signed Two Days Before the Deadline

The US president signed a decree canceling the sanctions and tariffs mandated by the law bearing the name of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, two days before it took effect. The text, passed by Congress in September, authorized tariffs of up to 100% against major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. It also targeted Vladimir Putin, the defense sector, and the "shadow fleet" of tankers circumventing Western sanctions. Washington invokes the United States' "national interests."

Diesel Against Pressure

The decision follows an agreement reached in October with Moscow: Russia supplies diesel to US and global markets in exchange for relief from US sanctions. The timing reveals the calculation. Midterm elections take place on November 3, and discontent is mounting over fuel price increases tied to the war in Iran. The Republican majority in Congress is at stake.

The mechanism is clear. High pump prices threaten the ballot box, and Russian diesel supply promises to contain them. That required abandoning the weapon that would have driven up Moscow's energy exports. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy, hailed a "historic" moment.

Kyiv Turns to Brussels

Since the diesel agreement, relations between Kyiv and Washington have deteriorated. Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian refineries in retaliation for Moscow's attacks, irritating Trump. Volodymyr Zelensky also denounced restrictions on the use of SpaceX satellite services, deemed essential to his defense. He asked his European allies in Brussels for more than ? billion in additional funding to finance the war effort in 2027. Emmanuel Macron says it is too early to commit to a figure but assures that Europeans "will not abandon" Kyiv.

Limits to This Reading

Consensus in Washington is far from assured. Republican Senator Thom Tillis calls the decree "more than irresponsible," Ted Cruz calls it an "error," and Democrat Chuck Schumer calls it a gift to Putin. Zelensky also says his teams remain in discussions with US negotiators.

The diesel volumes involved and the exact scale of the relief are not documented. The link to fuel prices is an analytical reading, not an official statement. Finally, the conflict-monitoring data planned for this analysis could not be used, as a query failed.

What Can Be Concluded

This episode shows that, for the Trump administration, pressure on Moscow comes after energy price stability ahead of a decisive vote. For Ukraine, the cost is measured in increased dependence on Europe. What follows will depend on ongoing discussions between Kyiv and Washington, Congress's reaction, and Europe's concrete response.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence and verified by our editorial team.