Trump will take up to 60 days to weigh Russia sanctions, Rubio says

The day after waiving sanctions and tariffs related to Russian exports, US president Donald Trump said on Saturday he had yet to ​announce a final decision on the matter, while secretary of state Marco Rubio said officials wanted more time to evaluate the situation.Rubio said that Trump would use up to 60 days to assess the economic impact of Russia-related sanctions and tariffs that he waived a day earlier.“A lot of you don’t know what my decision is ​yet, but we’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.The waiver comes just weeks before November’s US midterm elections, with Trump ⁠under pressure over high energy prices as war with Iran disrupts global oil supplies.READ MORETrump signed an executive order on Friday waiving ‌key sanctions ‌and ​tariffs under the law known as the Graham Act, which he signed last month at the urging of lawmakers who want to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine.The measures, including tariffs on Russian goods and penalties ⁠on countries buying Russian oil and gas, were due ​to take effect next week. Friday’s order did not specify how long the ​waiver would last, but Rubio said Trump opted for a 60-day review.“I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of ‌analyse what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean ​to the global economy and even to the US economy,” Rubio told reporters on Saturday before boarding a plane for a trip to Uzbekistan.[ Zelenskiy defies Trump as Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian refineriesOpens in new window ]Complicating matters is ⁠the Graham Act’s call not only for sanctions on Russia ⁠but also for tariffs on goods ​from countries that import Russian energy supplies. Rubio pointed to India, an important US partner that has diversified its energy supplies but remains heavily dependent on Russian oil.Friday’s executive order drew criticism from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who warned it would embolden Russian president Vladimir Putin and prolong the war.[ US snapshot of Donald Trump’s hunger for adulation that has dragged us to this fraught momentOpens in new window ]Senator Darline Graham, a South Carolina Republican whose late brother Lindsey Graham championed the legislation that bears his name, said she disagreed with Trump’s decision and planned to discuss it with him when he campaigns for her next week.“Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia,” she told reporters on Saturday. “Because I don’t trust Putin and I don’t trust Russia.” – Reuters