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Geopolitics · Europe

Trump’s 60-day pause leaves Russia sanctions in abeyance

Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia for 60 days, Marco Rubio said, so the administration could assess their effects on the US and global economies. Rubio said the measures affect countries beyond Russia, while Ukraine’s Zelensky warned that the waiver “rewards” Putin.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 5 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 5 outletsHow it's made

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5 outlets3 regionsLatest reporting 3 min read
Coverage: MixedL 2 · C 3 · R 0
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What happened

Key facts

  • Marco Rubio said Donald Trump paused sweeping sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia for 60 days to assess their effect on the US and global economies.
  • Trump signed an executive order waiving the measures, which Congress adopted in September.
  • The law gave Trump authority to sanction major buyers of Russian oil and gas and included measures targeting Russian officials, oligarchs and financial institutions.
  • Trump linked the decision to a deal on Russian diesel exports and rising energy prices; he said it would benefit the US.
  • Rubio said conflicts including the US war on Iran and attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia were affecting oil and diesel prices.
  • Ukraine’s Zelensky warned that the move “rewards” Putin.

The brief

Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving sweeping sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia, with the measures suspended for 60 days while the administration assesses their economic effects, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. The Straits Times reported that Rubio described the pause as an opportunity to analyse the impact on the US and global economies. France 24, Middle East Eye and The Guardian also framed Rubio’s explanation around the 60-day review; the BBC headline described Trump as waiving several Russia sanctions. The executive order was signed on Oct 16. The measures had been adopted by Congress in September. Under the law, Trump had authority to sanction major buyers of Russian oil and gas, alongside measures aimed at Russian officials, oligarchs and financial institutions. Rubio said the restrictions involve countries beyond Russia, though he did not identify them in the account reported by The Straits Times. Rubio said the administration wanted to assess what imposing both sanctions and tariffs would mean for the global economy and the US economy. The account does not specify how the review will be conducted or what criteria will determine whether the measures take effect after the pause. The stated purpose of the 60-day period is economic analysis. Trump said his decision would benefit the US and linked it to a deal on Russian diesel exports and rising energy prices, The Straits Times reported. The article also said it was unclear whether Trump had made up his mind about the matter when he spoke late on Oct 17. His remarks, as quoted by the outlet, included: “We’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out.”

Rubio pointed to other factors affecting fuel prices, saying the US war on Iran and attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia were affecting oil and diesel prices. Those comments were Rubio’s explanation of the market conditions he cited; the account does not quantify the price effects or provide additional detail about the attacks. Ukraine’s Zelensky warned that the waiver “rewards” Putin. Separately, The Straits Times reported that lawmakers from both major US political parties had sharply criticised Trump after he signed the order. The article did not identify the lawmakers or detail their objections. The BBC headline characterized the waiver as taking place amid an intensifying row with Zelensky, but the headline provides no further account of that dispute.

Why it matters

  • The pause covers measures that could target major buyers of Russian oil and gas, as well as Russian officials, oligarchs and financial institutions; their enforcement is suspended during the 60-day review.
  • Trump said the decision would benefit the US and tied it to Russian diesel exports and rising energy prices, while Rubio said the review would consider effects on the US and global economies.
  • Rubio identified the US war on Iran and attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia as factors affecting oil and diesel prices, connecting the stated review rationale to energy markets.
  • Ukraine’s Zelensky said the waiver “rewards” Putin, while lawmakers from both major US political parties criticised Trump’s order, according to The Straits Times.

What to watch next

  • Whether the administration imposes the sanctions and tariffs after the 60-day pause or continues to waive them.
  • How the administration assesses the measures’ effects on the US and global economies, the review purpose Rubio stated.
  • Whether Trump clarifies his position on the waiver after saying, “We’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out.”

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
5 source articles · 5 unique outlets · 4 distinct reports
Outlet political mix: Mixed· 2 Left · 3 Center
Where the outlets are based: Europe 60% · Middle East 20% · Other 20%
Outlet political mix
Mixed
Left
Center
Right
2 outlets
3 outlets
0 outlets
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
5 unique outletsDominant coverage: Europe
How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

Updat3 does not yet have enough full reports to compare how outlets framed this story.

Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), signed by President Donald Trump on August 2, 2017, codified sanctions related to Russia and gave Congress a role in reviewing certain changes to them.
    Background · from our historical context
  2. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, the United States and its allies expanded restrictions on Russian officials, banks, technology and energy trade.
    Background · from our historical context
  3. In December 2022, the European Union’s embargo on seaborne Russian crude oil began alongside the G7 price cap, linking sanctions policy to global oil supply and prices.
    Background · from our historical context
  4. The G7 price cap on Russian petroleum products took effect.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  5. Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal introduced a bipartisan bill proposing sanctions on Russia and tariffs on countries buying Russian oil.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. President Donald Trump signed the Graham Act, which included sanctions and tariffs intended to increase pressure on Russia.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

Before the October 16, 2026 waiver, US policy toward Russia had already combined sanctions imposed by executive order with measures enacted by Congress. The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), signed by President Donald Trump on August 2, 2017, codified sanctions related to Russia and gave Congress a role in reviewing certain changes to them.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, the United States and its allies expanded restrictions on Russian officials, banks, technology and energy trade. The G7 price cap on seaborne Russian oil took effect on December 5, 2022; a separate cap on Russian petroleum products followed on February 5, 2023.

Original sources

1 of 5 articles · Asia · Show all

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