Foto: BB.LV / Зеленский
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized US President Donald Trump's decision on Saturday, October 17, to abandon the introduction of new comprehensive sanctions against Russia and additional tariffs for countries purchasing Russian oil and gas. This was reported by the LETA agency, citing the BBC. On Friday evening, Trump signed an order that effectively halted the application of the sanctions measures provided for by a law previously adopted by Congress. The new restrictions were formally introduced but were immediately canceled by the decision of the American president. Zelensky noted that this occurred simultaneously with yet another massive Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. ## Russia attacked more than 15 energy facilities According to the Ukrainian president, on the night of Saturday, the Russian armed forces delivered one of the most powerful strikes against the country's energy system. More than 15 important electricity production and transmission facilities in various regions of Ukraine were targeted. Ukrainian authorities reported that hundreds of thousands of consumers in the Zhytomyr region were left without electricity. Power outages also occurred in Vinnytsia. Amid the damage to the energy infrastructure across Ukraine, scheduled power outages are being conducted. ## "Easing pressure only encourages Putin to continue attacks" Zelensky linked Washington's decision to the easing of international pressure on Moscow. > "At the moment when the Russians dealt such a massive blow to our energy sector, a decision was unfortunately made in America to completely ignore the Lindsey Graham law, which was supposed to exert really effective pressure on Russia to end this war," the Ukrainian president stated. According to him, the measures provided for by the law could significantly affect Russia's ability to continue military operations. > "This law could — and still can! — be of great help. But it is necessary for the law to actually take effect, and every vote in its support matters," Zelensky emphasized. The Ukrainian president also criticized the easing of American sanctions and economic agreements with Moscow. > "The suspension of US sanctions, the easing of pressure on the aggressor, monetary rewards to Putin — all of this only encourages him to continue attacks," he stated. Zelensky called for not abandoning pressure on Russia and continuing efforts to end the war. ## Why Trump halted sanctions On September 18, Donald Trump signed a law on comprehensive sanctions against Russia, previously approved by the US Congress. The document provided for the automatic entry of restrictions into force within 30 days after signing, unless the president made a different decision. Trump took advantage of this opportunity shortly before the established deadline. The new measures were supposed to affect the Russian energy and defense sectors, Vladimir Putin, and other high-ranking Russian officials, as well as tankers of the so-called shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions. In addition, the law granted the US president the right to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. The aim of these restrictions was to reduce Russia's revenues from energy exports, which Moscow uses, among other things, to finance the war against Ukraine. The law also provided for sanctions against companies and foreign organizations supporting the Russian military and an expansion of restrictions against Iran. ## Diesel agreement with Russia drew criticism from Kyiv Earlier, Zelensky had already opposed Trump's agreements with Moscow on the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the global market. According to these agreements, Russia is to supply several batches of diesel fuel, which, according to the American president's calculations, will help lower prices. The cost of diesel fuel has sharply increased amid the war with Iran, which has become one of the economic problems for the Trump administration ahead of the midterm elections in the US Congress. The Ukrainian side believes that such agreements provide Russia with additional revenues while simultaneously weakening the sanctions pressure. The law on new sanctions was named after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who had been advocating for its adoption since April 2025 and died in July 2026.
