Trump Waives Russia Sanctions, Suspends Ukraine Aid as Midterms Near
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 29
Trump Waives Russia Sanctions, Suspends Ukraine Aid as Midterms Near
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 29
Summary
Trump authorized purchases of Russian diesel, waived newly passed sanctions on Moscow and suspended defensive missile deliveries and early-warning intelligence to Ukraine, according to the report.
The moves came as Trump tried to deflect blame for higher US fuel prices before the midterms, casting Ukraine's refinery strikes on Russia as the inflation driver rather than disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
The report says the administration also backed a slowdown in Starshield service used by Ukraine's military and pushed an "energy ceasefire" that would halt Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries but not Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Ukraine rejected that proposal as one-sided, while the article argues Putin has intensified attacks on cities and energy systems to pressure civilians ahead of winter.
The piece says a Democratic Congress could try to restore pressure on Russia by re-enacting sanctions without a national-interest waiver and, if it secured a two-thirds majority, override Trump.