Trump waives Russia sanctions, tariffs

US President Donald Trump waived key Russia-related US sanctions and tariffs days before they were to take effect under a law he ?signed last month, including duties on the country's goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas.

In an executive order released by the White House on Friday, Trump said the waiver was in the national interest of the United States.

The law is meant to increase pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022. Trump, however, has been warming toward Moscow while publicly criticising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, including suggesting Kyiv needs a new leader.

Weeks before US midterm elections in which Trump's Republicans are battling to maintain their narrow grip on both chambers of Congress, the new measures could have risked further raising oil prices as Americans face increased costs largely attributed to the US-Israeli war on Iran, analysts have said.

The legislation, whose primary backer in Congress was the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, would have imposed tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on all goods brought into the US from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, as well as any country that knowingly bought oil or gas 30 days after the law was enacted or was among the top five countries helping Russia evade sanctions.

The order said the waiver will remain in effect until Trump or his top officials determine that "further action is appropriate." Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in mid-September.

"I have submitted to Congress a certification that the issuance ?of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States," Trump said in the order.

Countries such as China and India, which are among the biggest buyers of Russian oil, have raised concerns about the Russia sanctions bill.

Beijing has said it "consistently opposed long-arm jurisdiction that lacks a basis in international law" while India warned Washington that new tariffs could impact bilateral ties.

The law allows the president to waive sanctions simply by informing Congress that he has determined that they are not in the national interest.

Steelworks hit again

Russia on Saturday launched another ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhstal steelworks, causing ?damage to its blast furnace facilities, the plant's owner, Metinvest ?Group, said.

It said six ballistic missiles struck the plant's ?internal energy and logistics infrastructure. "Russia continues to target a steel plant that has not beenable to resume normal operations following previous ?attacks.

There is no logic to these strikes, just as there is no logic to the war itself," Oleksandr Myronenko, chief ?operating officer of Metinvest, said in a statement