# Trump waives new Russia sanctions, pausing 100% tariffs on major energy importers

*Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 6:18 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-10-17T06:18:22.191Z (58m ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Global
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/20785.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: President Donald Trump has used waiver powers under the Lindsay Graham Act to suspend key Russia sanctions and tariffs, stopping 100% duties on goods from the largest importers of Russian oil and gas before they begin.

President Donald Trump has halted a major escalation in Russia sanctions before it began, stepping back from measures that would have sharply raised costs for governments and companies still linked to Russian energy.

According to a formal notice to Congress, Trump signed an executive order using waiver authority in the Lindsay Graham Act to suspend the implementation of core sanctions and tariffs. The law had required the administration to impose, by 18 October 2026, wide‑ranging penalties on Russia and on the largest buyers of its oil and gas, as well as on countries accused of helping Moscow evade existing restrictions.

At the center of the package was a 100% tariff on all goods from the five largest importers of Russian hydrocarbons and from states deemed to be enabling sanctions evasion. Those tariffs are now paused until “further action is appropriate,” according to the administration’s wording. The White House has told lawmakers the delay serves the “national interest,” but hasn’t laid out in public which specific U.S. goals it believes the immediate measures would have undercut.

For governments and firms still importing Russian crude, refined products or gas, the move removes the threat of trade with the United States suddenly facing double‑sized tariff burdens. It also reduces near‑term pressure on states that act as intermediaries for Russian energy, including hubs that blend or re‑label cargoes to avoid direct bans. Traders who had prepared for a sharp divide between sanctioned and non‑sanctioned buyers now confront a slower, less abrupt adjustment.

The economic impact on households is indirect yet real. Tariffs at the 100% level tend to feed into already high fuel and transport costs in importing countries, which then pass through to consumer prices. By pausing the measures, Washington avoids adding immediate strain to global fuel markets, even as the decision frustrates those who see tighter economic pressure on Moscow as a way to shorten the war in Ukraine.

On strategy, the waiver marks a turn in U.S. Russia policy. The Graham Act was designed to harden a sanctions regime that aims to limit the Kremlin’s ability to wage war while trying to avoid a severe supply shock in global energy markets. By pulling back just before the deadline, the Trump administration is signaling that limiting spillover damage to partners and the global economy currently outweighs the push for a rapid jump in financial pressure.

The decision also changes leverage over third countries that have profited from handling Russian energy. The threat of 100% U.S. tariffs had been a strong incentive to cut exposure to sanctioned flows or cooperate more closely on enforcement. With that threat on hold, some of those states may judge they have more space to balance between Western demands and Russian supply.

For Moscow, the practical benefit is time. Russia keeps access to key buyers and intermediaries without facing an immediate, steep increase in the cost of trading with U.S.‑linked markets. Existing sanctions remain in place, but the tightening path that many in Congress expected under the Graham Act now looks less certain.

Sanctions frameworks influence behavior as much through the penalties that are activated as through those that are waived. Stepping back from a legislated escalation changes how partners and adversaries read U.S. commitments and threats.

Signals to watch include any move by Congress to challenge or narrow waiver powers, reactions from European and Asian allies to Washington’s softer stance, and shifts in Russia’s export volumes and pricing that reflect expectations about future U.S. action. The next test will come with any further certification or reporting the administration must provide under the Act, which could force the White House to defend this choice on the record.