Trump suspends Russia sanctions package, citing US national interest

President Donald Trump has suspended the latest sanctions package against Russia, citing "US national interest," just before it was set to take effect. The executive order freezes the measures indefinitely, marking a significant shift favoring Moscow. The suspended package, signed into law in mid-September as the Graham Act, targeted major buyers of Russian oil and gas and allowed tariffs on countries like China and India. The move follows a recent US-Russia diesel import deal and growing White House criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has called Zelensky "not a good guy" and suggested any future agreement would not involve him, remarks welcomed by the Kremlin. The decision further widens the distance between Washington and Kyiv amid the ongoing war.