Rubio Says Trump Will Take Up to 60 Days to Review Russia Sanctions as Ukraine Questions US Policy
By Saqib S. Qureshi — SCN NEWS
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump could take up to 60 days to decide whether to impose new sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, as the administration weighs the economic consequences of increasing pressure on Moscow while rising fuel prices and disruptions to global energy supplies complicate Washington's response to the war in Ukraine.
Rubio's remarks followed Trump's decision on Friday to waive key provisions of the Graham Act, legislation designed to penalize Russia and countries purchasing Russian oil and gas. The measures had been scheduled to take effect next week, but the White House moved to suspend their implementation before the deadline, drawing criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and lawmakers who support maintaining economic pressure on Moscow.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday before departing for Uzbekistan, Rubio said the administration needed additional time to examine how the proposed restrictions would affect the United States and international markets. The review concerns not only sanctions directly targeting Russian exports but also tariffs that could affect major American trading partners importing Russian energy.
Trump, speaking separately to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, said he had not announced a final decision on the sanctions. His comments left open whether the administration would eventually enforce the measures, modify their implementation or continue withholding them.
The decision comes weeks before the November midterm elections, with the administration facing pressure over high energy prices as the conflict involving Iran disrupts oil supplies and adds uncertainty to global fuel markets. The economic consequences of imposing additional restrictions on Russian exports have therefore become a central consideration in Washington's sanctions policy.
The Graham Act, signed into law last month, was intended to strengthen American economic leverage over Moscow by restricting Russian trade and penalizing countries that continue purchasing Russian energy. Its provisions include measures affecting Russian goods and tariffs on imports from countries buying Russian oil and gas.
India presents a particular challenge for the administration. Rubio identified the country as an important U.S. partner whose economy remains heavily dependent on Russian oil despite efforts to diversify energy supplies. Imposing additional tariffs on such trading partners could create economic and diplomatic complications beyond the immediate effort to pressure Moscow.
The waiver has also exposed disagreements over how Washington should respond to Russia's continued military operations in Ukraine. Zelenskyy criticized the decision, warning that reducing pressure on Moscow could strengthen Russian President Vladimir Putin's position and prolong the conflict.
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly argued that sanctions targeting Russian energy revenues are essential to limiting Moscow's ability to finance its military campaign. The latest U.S. decision has raised questions about the extent to which Washington is prepared to prioritize economic pressure on Russia while managing its own energy requirements.
Republican Senator Darline Graham of South Carolina, whose late brother Lindsey Graham championed the sanctions legislation, also expressed opposition to the waiver. She said she intended to discuss the decision with Trump during his planned campaign visit to the state next week.
The administration is simultaneously pursuing a separate agreement with Russia to increase diesel supplies to international markets, a move aimed at easing fuel prices amid disruptions linked to the conflict with Iran.
Trump said the agreement would initially bring more than 300,000 metric tons of Russian diesel to the United States, with additional shipments expected in November and subsequent months. The arrangement places energy supply considerations alongside the administration's broader diplomatic and economic decisions involving Moscow.
Rubio defended the diesel agreement, arguing that Russian fuel would continue reaching buyers regardless of American participation. His explanation reflected the administration's position that securing additional supplies could help address immediate energy pressures without necessarily determining its longer-term sanctions policy.
The combination of the sanctions waiver and diesel arrangement illustrates the increasingly difficult relationship between economic security and foreign policy. Measures intended to restrict Russian energy revenues could also affect fuel availability and prices, particularly as conflicts in Europe and the Middle East disrupt established supply routes.
The administration has not announced the outcome of its review, and Rubio's reference to a 60-day period does not establish that sanctions will automatically be reinstated when that period ends. The executive order issued on Friday did not specify how long the waiver would remain in effect.
For Ukraine, the uncertainty adds another complication to relations with Washington at a time when Kyiv is seeking sustained American support against Russian attacks. For U.S. lawmakers, the review raises questions about how legislation intended to increase pressure on Moscow will be implemented by the executive branch.
The immediate question is whether the administration can reconcile its effort to stabilize energy markets with the sanctions framework approved to strengthen pressure on Russia. Until Trump announces a final decision, the future application of the Graham Act's key restrictions remains uncertain.