Trump Defends Russia Sanctions Waiver After Republican Criticism

President Donald Trump is defending his decision to waive key sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia, after Republicans accused him of undermining support for Ukraine and "capitulating" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said enforcing the measures risked derailing negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine, insisting that progress was being made in diplomatic discussions. Trump said he could sign the document later but wanted to avoid antagonizing Russia because he believes Moscow might otherwise increase its support for Iran. He also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of hurting U.S. interests by targeting Russian diesel refineries, adding that "farmers, ranchers, and businesses of all kinds are suffering greatly from this." Trump even claimed Zelensky "doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did." The waiver, issued Friday, puts on hold penalties scheduled to begin Sunday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Trump wants up to 60 days to assess the economic impact. The decision has drawn bipartisan backlash, with Sen. Thom Tillis calling it "beyond irresponsible" and Rep. Don Bacon warning Trump was "prolonging the war, not ending it." Sen. Ted Cruz said the waiver "just benefits Putin," while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also condemned it. However, Republican Sen. James Lankford defended the move, arguing Trump was balancing pressure on Russia with high energy prices, and White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the president retains authority to reimpose measures if needed.