US President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended the application of some of the sanctions, restrictions and duties under the new law “Lindsey O. Graham on Sanctions against Russia and Iran“. The decree, signed on October 16, states that the exemption from the measures is in the national interest of the United States.
The decision was announced shortly before the first deadline for the application of part of the law, which expires on October 18. The document does not repeal the law itself, but allows the US administration to temporarily refrain from introducing certain restrictions.
What the law provides
The law was signed by Trump on September 18, 2026, and is named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July at the age of 71. It gives the president the ability to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that continue to buy Russian oil and natural gas, as well as expand sanctions against Russian companies and individuals.
The measure was passed by Congress with bipartisan support and was presented as a tool to increase economic pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. American officials have urged the administration to fully implement the law, including against Russian companies, ships and individuals involved in circumventing sanctions.
Moscow's reaction
Kirill Dmitriev described Trump's decision as an “important historical moment“. According to him, instead of sanctions and confrontation, dialogue, mutually beneficial cooperation and shared responsibility for global stability are needed.
“Economic cooperation between Russia and the United States meets the interests of both countries, contributes to the stability of the world economy and creates a basis for strengthening trust and achieving lasting peace,“ said Dmitriev.
He believes that the “Graham“ could have completely stopped economic contacts between Moscow and Washington and caused serious damage to the American economy and world markets.
Russia has included Lindsey Graham on its list of terrorists and extremists. In the United States, he was among the most active supporters of tougher sanctions against Moscow and measures against countries that buy Russian energy.
For now, Trump's decree leaves the sanctions pressure partially intact and preserves the possibility of future implementation of the measures. The US administration has not announced a specific date on which the temporary exemption will be terminated.
Sources: apnews.com, cbsnews.com