Trump suspends Russia sanctions to keep peace talks alive

President Donald Trump suspended several sanctions on Russia, saying the move aims to keep Moscow at the negotiating table for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. He blocked the measures two days before they were set to take effect. Trump stated on Truth Social that he is negotiating peace and does not want to "drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table." The decision comes amid a deepening row with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who called siding with Putin a "historic mistake." Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised the move as historic. Zelensky has repeatedly said Putin doesn't want peace since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Relations frayed after a US deal to import Russian diesel and accusations of withdrawn military support, with Trump claiming Zelensky "doesn't want to end this war."