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Paused, Not Lifted: The Russian Diesel Deal and the Graham Act Waiver, Dated

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Two of the steps the Financial Times listed on October 27, 2026 as already taken by Washington, a deal to import Russian diesel and a pause on new sanctions against Moscow’s energy exports, date from earlier this month: Oct. 9 and Oct. 16. Neither one removed the bulk of US sanctions on Russia. This piece separates the paused Russia sanctions from the ones still in force, and sets out who has attacked and defended each move.

The FT sentence reads: “The US has already struck a deal to import Russian diesel, paused new sanctions on Moscow’s energy exports and pressured Ukraine to stop drone strikes on Russia’s refineries.” It appeared in a story about wider postwar business ideas, on which a US official said “nothing is finalised.” The Kremlin’s spokesman sent no reply to the paper; Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy, had no comment through a spokesperson.

Where it stands: The diesel authorization runs through April 7, 2027, according to the Kyiv Post. The Graham Act waiver has no end date: Executive Order 14436 keeps it in place until the President or the Secretary of State decides “further action is appropriate.”

What was the Russian diesel deal?

It was an arrangement Trump announced on Friday, Oct. 9, after a call with Vladimir Putin, under which Russia would sell diesel into US and world markets. CNBC reported he posted it on Truth Social after what he called a “highly successful discussion” with Putin.

Trump’s post set out a staged schedule: “more than 300,000 tons” at once, “another 500,000 tons in November,” then “1 million tons” and “3 million more depending on refinery conditions.” Those are his figures; no delivery schedule from Moscow was published.

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the sanctions office, issued “a temporary general license to allow the supply of Russian diesel to the global market,” the department said. A general license is a blanket permission that carves an exception out of existing sanctions.

The Kyiv Independent reported the first tanker was bound for New York from Primorsk carrying 40,000 metric tons, which would be “the first Russian diesel deliveries to the U.S. since 2022.” Citing the NYT, the Kyiv Post reported that some of the fuel sailed before any US buyer had paid for it. Ukrainska Pravda, also relaying the NYT, said the Russian Direct Investment Fund now plays a leading role in carrying the deal out.

What do the paused Russia sanctions cover?

The pause applies to a new law, not to the sanctions built up since 2022. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, signed Sept. 18, required the President to put its measures in place “by October 18, 2026,” law firm Baker Botts noted.

Two days before that deadline, on Friday, Oct. 16, Trump signed Executive Order 14436. ABC News reported that the order “waives every operative section of the law pertaining to Russia.”

Measure Status after Oct. 16
Graham Act tariffs up to 500% on Russian goods Waived
Graham Act tariffs up to 100% on top buyers of Russian oil and gas Waived
Earlier executive-order sanctions Still in force
2022 statutory ban on Russian energy imports Still law
Russian diesel trade Licensed through April 2027

ABC added an important caveat. The order “does not affect existing sanctions imposed previously by executive order,” but it waives a statutory provision that had locked those sanctions in, “clearing the way for the president to take unilateral action on them as well.”

Why is “paused” not the same as “lifted”?

A waiver switches off a requirement while leaving the authority on the books, so it can be reversed without new legislation. The Graham Act lets the President waive any duty with a national-interest certification, which Akin Gump called “a very broad standard.”

The White House has stressed that point. Spokesperson Taylor Rogers said the act gives the President “additional authorities to pursue a peaceful resolution,” and that he “retains the ability to exercise these authorities at any time if he determines that doing so would advance national interests.”

The 2022 import ban is different. Public Law 117-109 says Russian energy products “shall be banned from importation into the United States,” and lifting it requires certifying, among other things, an agreement “accepted by the free and independent government of Ukraine.” As of October 28, no such certification had been reported. Our legal explainer covers how the diesel license sits against that law.

How has the administration defended the steps?

Its case rests on diplomacy and fuel prices. Trump wrote that he did not “want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,” and Rogers said enforcing the sanctions now “would impede ongoing U.S. efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace agreement.”

Bessent told CBS that “The president is balancing and has to make tough decisions” over high diesel prices, and CNN reported his view that the administration is acting within its legal authorities. Trump also said a detained American’s release would not have happened had the US not “prevented new sanctions against Moscow from taking effect,” CBS reported.

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Others welcomed the move. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said he was glad Trump had waived most of what he called “this stupid law.” Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the suspension “an important and truly historic moment.”

What have critics said?

Opposition came from both parties. AP counted six senators, and CNN seven including four Republicans, who said the diesel decision “runs directly counter to that law” and urged the administration to “immediately reverse course.”

After the waiver, Sen. Thom Tillis called it “Beyond irresponsible,” Sen. John Cornyn said “Lindsey would be appalled,” and Rep. Don Bacon wrote that “The president is prolonging the war, not ending it.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that “Trump’s deal with the devil keeps getting dirtier.”

Abroad, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the diesel easing gives Moscow “more revenues to wage war.” Zelenskyy predicted “Sanctions relief will continue,” calling the diesel deal and the Graham move “not the end of it.”

The supply argument has also drawn doubts: CNBC calculated that the full announced volume equals “about 10 days of U.S. domestic demand.” Our Graham Act waiver report and diesel license explainer have the documents.

Can Congress undo the paused sanctions?

Bills exist, but the calendar and the veto stand in the way. A bill from Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania would, per Roll Call, nullify the diesel decision, and Rep. Gregory Meeks has a similar Democratic bill. Bloomberg, reporting on a House bill filed Oct. 16, said passing it “would likely require overcoming a Trump veto.” The review rules Congress can use are covered in our CAATSA explainer.

AP reported that the House and Senate are in recess until after Election Day on Nov. 3. The diesel license, meanwhile, runs to April 7, 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Trump lifted Russia sanctions?

Only in narrow ways. On Oct. 16 he waived the new Russia measures in the Graham Act before they took effect, and on Oct. 9 Treasury licensed Russian diesel sales for a limited period. ABC News reported that the order leaves earlier executive-order sanctions untouched.

What did the Graham Act waiver do?

Executive Order 14436 waived the Russia sections of the 2026 Graham Act, including tariffs of up to 500 percent on Russian goods and penalties on the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas. The order says the waivers stay in effect until the President or Secretary of State decides further action is appropriate.

How long does the Russian diesel license last?

Treasury authorized the sale and import of Russian diesel through April 7, 2027, according to the Kyiv Post, which cited the department’s action after the Oct. 9 announcement.

Is the Russian diesel deal legal?

That is disputed and no court has ruled. A bipartisan group of senators said allowing Russian diesel imports runs counter to the 2022 import-ban law. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration was acting within its legal authorities.

Can Congress reverse the paused Russia sanctions?

Bills from Rep. Gregory Meeks and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick aim to undo the diesel decision, but Congress was in recess until after the Nov. 3 elections and Bloomberg reported that passage would likely mean overcoming a veto.

Sources

This article is news reporting and analysis based on the public sources listed above, as they stood on the dates shown. Where officials, lawmakers or analysts disagree, including on whether an action is lawful, their positions are attributed to them; Donald Trump Class Action is not a court and nothing here is legal advice. Facts in a developing story can change.

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