US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday, October 16, that waived wide-ranging sanctions and tariffs on Russia's energy revenues, according to CNA. The move marks a fresh low in Washington's relationship with Ukraine, which is fighting a war against Moscow.
The waived measures stem from the Lindsey Graham Act, named for the late US senator who sponsored it. Trump had signed the legislation into law only last month. It gave him the power to levy duties of up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, and it targeted Russia's energy and defence industries, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, and Moscow's shadow fleet of tankers used to evade Western restrictions.
Why it matters
The waiver undercuts a law that Congress passed and Trump himself enacted, and it lands as Kyiv's backing in Washington weakens. According to CNA, the reversal followed a deal between Trump and Putin in which sanctions on Russia would be eased in return for Moscow releasing large volumes of diesel onto global markets.
A Russian presidential envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, described the decision as a turning point. CNA reports that he called the administration's suspension of the Graham Act "an important and truly historic moment" in a social media post. Neither the Kremlin nor Putin had responded to the move at the time of the report, though CNA noted it amounts to a significant diplomatic gain for Russia.
Zelensky presses Europe for more money and missiles
The US president's shift came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked European Union leaders to commit roughly $80 billion in additional financing next year to sustain his country's war effort. Speaking after talks with EU leaders, Zelensky said he was defending Ukraine's interests and those of its people alone, according to CNA.
Relations between the two presidents have visibly deteriorated. Trump called Kyiv's actions a "disgrace" after Zelensky ordered Ukrainian forces to resume strikes on Russian refineries. When a reporter asked Zelensky whether he was being used as a scapegoat for Trump's domestic troubles ahead of next month's midterm elections, he only smiled, CNA reports.
The strain has fed worries that Trump is aligning with Moscow. Those concerns grew after disruptions hit a US-provided satellite system that Ukraine relies on to counter Russian bombardments. Ukraine uses technology from Elon Musk's SpaceX for battlefield communications; Musk, a sharp critic of Zelensky, said his company was not responsible for the disruption, and a US official denied any intervention by Trump, according to CNA.
European leaders rallied around Zelensky during the talks. European Council chief Antonio Costa said the moment was no time to pull back support for Ukraine or to lift sanctions on Russia. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten described the situation in Ukraine as truly dire, citing heavy Russian attacks and tension between Kyiv and Washington, and said Europe must show unconditional support and consider further steps.
Funding gap and frozen assets
Zelensky requested more Patriot missiles to intercept Russian missiles and an extra 70 billion euros, about $79 billion, in support for next year. Ukraine has struggled to bring down Russian missiles and is racing to strengthen its defences before winter, when temperatures can fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius and attacks threaten electricity, heating and water supplies.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the 70-billion-euro request "has to be covered" and called on partner countries to step in and help. French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv's backers would examine the demand, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the EU would discuss it before the end of the year, CNA reports.
The bloc is currently disbursing instalments of a 90-billion-euro loan intended to fund Kyiv through the end of 2027. Ukrainian authorities have warned of a major budget shortfall regardless, as Russian strikes have damaged the country's economy.
The funding talks have revived calls to use roughly 200 billion euros in frozen Russian central bank assets for Ukraine. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said the frozen assets are available and should be used to support Ukraine. But momentum appears limited, as Belgium, where most of the money is held, remains opposed, according to CNA.
Separately, Ukrainian authorities said Russian strikes on the southern cities of Kherson and Zaporizhia killed a 64-year-old man and at least 17 other people, among them an 11-year-old girl. Putin appeared in military uniform on Friday and said Moscow intends to capture the remainder of eastern Ukraine.
The US president's decision also plays into domestic politics. CNA reports that his war with Iran has caused severe oil shortages and price spikes, creating difficulties for his Republican Party before next month's midterm elections.
What to watch next: whether the Kremlin formally responds to the waiver, and whether EU leaders agree on new funding for Kyiv, including any movement on the frozen assets, before the end of the year.
