Trump blocking Russia sanctions a 'historic moment': Putin’s envoy

Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev. | Photo Credit: AP U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to waive a new package of sanctions on Russia is a "historic moment", a Russian presidential envoy said on Saturday (October 17, 2026).Mr. Trump signed an executive order on Friday (October 16, 2026) that waived sweeping U.S. sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia's energy revenues, two days before they were due to take effect.The move came amid a clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that has fuelled speculation the U.S. leader is increasingly siding with Moscow nearly five years into Russia's offensive against Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions."The Trump administration's suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment," Kirill Dmitriev, envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on social media.The Kremlin and Putin — who appeared in military uniform on Friday (October 16, 2026) and said Moscow intends to seize the rest of eastern Ukraine — have not yet reacted to the move, which is a major diplomatic win for Russia.The Lindsey Graham Act — named after the deceased U.S. senator who sponsored the Bill — targeted Russia's energy and defence sectors as well as Putin and other senior officials.Mr. Dmitriev said the act would have caused "serious damage first and foremost to the U.S. economy and global markets".The West imposed massive sanctions on Russia when it launched the Ukraine war in 2022. Published - October 17, 2026 02:14 pm IST