Trump Suspends "Hell Sanctions" of the Graham Act One Day Before Deadline — 500% Tariffs on Russian Oil Will Not Apply

October 16 — one day before the toughest U.S. sanctions against Russia were to take effect — Donald Trump signed an executive order that effectively disables them. The Graham Act is formally in force. In practice, none of its provisions will be applied.

Here is the central contradiction Trump does not even try to explain.

The law, named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, was passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support — 86 votes in favor in the Senate. Its key provisions: 500% tariffs on all Russian energy imports into the United States, 100% secondary tariffs on all goods from the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas (including China, India, and Turkey), and sanctions against dozens of Russian enterprises. The law was to take effect on October 18, with a 30-day window for the president to implement the tariffs.

Trump signed the law on September 18. Then he almost immediately began dismantling it.

"National interests of the United States" is the official explanation the White House sent to Congress. Translated from diplomatic language: ahead of the midterm elections, Trump does not want fuel prices to rise. And they would rise if the 500% tariffs on Russian oil kicked in — even though direct Russian oil shipments to the U.S. are negligible. The real impact lies in the secondary tariffs: a 100% tax on goods from China, India, and Turkey would have disrupted global supply chains.

But there is another layer that turns this from a technical decision into a political scandal.

On October 9, Trump announced a "diesel deal" with Putin. Russia is to immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel, another 500,000 tons in November, 1 million tons after that, and eventually an additional 3 million tons. This is not just trade. It is direct revenue for the Kremlin to fund its war.

And one week after this deal, Trump suspends the sanctions that could have blocked it.

Democratic Representative Don Beyer called it "another Trump capitulation to Putin" and a "betrayal of Ukrainian partners." His colleague Gregory Meeks, who introduced a bipartisan bill to ban corrupt oil deals with Russia, was even blunter: "This deal will give Putin millions of dollars to continue killing Ukrainian civilians."

Kyiv's reaction was immediate and sharp.

On October 17, President Zelenskyy stated: "Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions will continue. I believe the diesel deal is the first step. Unfortunately, I think this is not the way to stop Putin. On the contrary, he feels joy, happiness, that he has such support."

Note the phrasing: "the lifting of sanctions will continue." Zelenskyy appears to have no doubt this is not Trump's last move in this direction. He is likely correct.

Congress is already trying to block the presidential order. On October 16, Representative Gregory Meeks introduced a bipartisan bill titled "To Prohibit Corrupt Oil Deals with Russia." Seventeen House members co-sponsored it. The bill would prohibit the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) from investing in Russian energy, revoke OFAC licenses, and mandate the administration to impose sanctions.

But timing is the issue. Midterm elections are imminent. Trump is betting on cheap fuel now. Congress is trying to stop him through procedures that could take weeks.

The central question this story leaves unanswered: was the "diesel deal" with Putin the reason for suspending the sanctions, or was suspending the sanctions a necessary precondition for the deal? The chronology suggests the latter. The White House has not officially confirmed this.

Formally, the tariffs remain in effect. Their application is suspended indefinitely — until the president or secretary of state determines that "further action is appropriate." This means Trump can reinstate the sanctions at any time. Or never.

For Ukraine, the implications are clear. Sanctions pressure on Russia has been one of the few real levers forcing the Kremlin to reckon with international law. If Trump dismantles this tool, Putin gets not just money. He gets a signal that America will no longer contain him.

The Graham Act was supposed to be "hell sanctions" — that is what Congress called it. One day before the deadline, it became a piece of paper Trump simply decided not to use.

There is also an uncomfortable question for Ukrainian authorities. How did the "diesel deal" become possible without any public reaction from Kyiv before its announcement? Were there attempts to persuade the Trump administration not to take this step? And is Ukraine prepared for a scenario where American support melts away along with the sanctions?

For now, there are no answers. But the clock is ticking.