Rubio: Trump waived sanctions against Russia for 60 days to analyze their impact

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained President Donald Trumpʼs refusal to enact the "hellish sanctions" law against Russia by the need to analyze how it would affect the global economy.

He said this while talking to journalists.

According to Rubio, these restrictions apply not only to Russia, but also to countries that buy Russian energy, including India. Therefore, the White House took 60 days to determine how the simultaneous application of sanctions and tariffs would affect the United States and other countries.

Rubio explained that the situation is complicated by tensions in the global energy market. Supply and prices are being affected by Russiaʼs war against Ukraine and attacks on energy infrastructure, the situation around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

"I think you have to take all of that into account and weigh it against each other. And then you’ve got countries like India, for example, that have voluntarily diversified their energy portfolio but are still getting a substantial amount of energy from Russia because it’s hard to pivot from one day to the next, but they’re also an important ally and partner of the United States," Rubio says.

He also rejected criticism that the easing of sanctions on Russian diesel was a “gift” to Putin. He said that Russia would have sold the fuel on the world market anyway, and the only question was how much of it would end up in the United States.

According to the Secretary of State, the current conflicts are increasingly influencing each other and creating the risk of further increases in oil and diesel prices. Therefore, the Trump administration is trying to find a balance between pressure on Russia and the stability of the global energy market.

• On October 17, the US President Donald Trump suspended the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s “hellish sanctions against Russia” law, just days before it was due to take effect. The law would have given the administration the authority to impose tariffs on countries that buy Russian energy or help circumvent sanctions.
• Shortly before this decision, on October 9, Trump reported that he had reached an agreement with Putin to supply Russian diesel to the American and global markets. President Volodymyr Zelensky called these agreements “a weak decision by strong partners”.

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