Trump to Take Up to 60 Days to Review Russia Sanctions, Rubio Says
WASHINGTON, October 18, 2026 — US President Donald Trump will take up to 60 days to assess the economic implications of Russia-related sanctions and tariffs after temporarily waiving the measures, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, as Washington weighs pressure on Moscow against rising global energy costs.
Trump said on Saturday that he had not yet made a final decision on the measures, which were due to take effect next week. Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, he said the details of his decision would become clear in due course.
The waiver follows an executive order Trump signed on Friday suspending key sanctions and tariffs under the Graham Act, legislation he signed last month following pressure from lawmakers seeking to increase economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
The measures include tariffs on Russian goods and penalties targeting countries that purchase Russian oil and gas. Friday’s executive order did not specify the duration of the waiver, but Rubio said Trump had opted for a 60-day period to examine the potential consequences.
“I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyze what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy and even to the US economy,” Rubio told reporters before departing for Uzbekistan.
The decision comes as Trump faces pressure over elevated energy prices, with the conflict involving Iran disrupting global oil supplies ahead of the November midterm elections.
India and global energy trade complicate sanctions policy
The Graham Act presents a broader challenge for Washington because it calls not only for sanctions against Russia but also for tariffs on goods from countries importing Russian energy supplies.
Rubio highlighted India as an important consideration. Although the country has diversified its energy sources, it remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, making the potential impact of secondary tariffs a significant factor in US policy decisions.
The temporary waiver has drawn criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who warned that easing the measures could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and prolong the war in Ukraine.
The decision has also faced opposition from Senator Darline Graham, a South Carolina Republican whose late brother, Lindsey Graham, championed the legislation bearing his name.
Graham said she disagreed with Trump’s decision and intended to discuss the matter with him when he campaigns for her next week.
“Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia,” she told reporters, adding that she did not trust Putin or Russia.
US defends agreement to increase Russian diesel supplies
Rubio also defended a separate agreement with Russia aimed at increasing diesel supplies to global markets as governments and businesses contend with higher fuel prices and disruptions caused by the war involving Iran.
Trump said Russia would initially supply more than 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel to the United States, with further shipments expected in November and beyond.
Rubio argued that the fuel would reach the market regardless of the arrangement, with the agreement determining how much of the supply would go to the United States.
“That diesel is going to be sold one way or the other,” Rubio said. “The only difference is how much of it the United States was going to get.”
He said the diesel agreement and the sanctions waiver reflected the difficulty of managing simultaneous conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, both of which have disrupted global energy supplies.
“These conflicts around the world are starting to crash into each other,” Rubio said.
The 60-day review will give the Trump administration additional time to assess how sanctions and tariffs could affect energy markets, international trade and the US economy. The eventual decision will also have implications for Washington’s efforts to pressure Moscow while managing the domestic economic consequences of global energy disruptions.
