Donald Trump suspends customs surcharges against Russia under the Graham Act

Suspension of customs surcharges by presidential decree

US President Donald Trump signed a presidential decree on Friday night suspending several measures of a recently adopted set of sanctions, according to information reported by CNBC. The original purpose of the sanctions was to obstruct Moscow's ability to continue its armed conflict in Ukraine. In the text of his decree issued on Friday, the U.S. leader stated that he had transmitted to Congress a certificate that the granting of such an exemption was in the national interests of the United States.

This decision shall take place only two days before the deadline for the application of the provisions concerned. However, the presidential decree maintains the sanctions previously imposed on Russia under previous executive orders, according to the American media.

The Lindsey Graham Law Mechanism

The legislation in question, Lindsey O. Graham Act of 2026 on sanctions against Russia and Iran, was designed to penalize the Russian economy in response to the continued large-scale invasion of Ukraine, CNBC recalls. This bill had been introduced more than a year earlier, mainly by the late Lindsey Graham, an experienced Republican senator representing South Carolina. The text was approved by the House of Representatives on 16 September 2026, before being promulgated by Donald Trump two days later.

The legislation required the US executive to increase tariffs on all Russian goods imported into the United States by up to 500 per cent, no later than 30 days after its promulgation. It also required the introduction of tariffs of up to 100 per cent vis-à-vis the states that were among the five largest purchasers of Russian gas or crude oil, a provision that targeted China and India in particular. The presidential decree specifically excludes these two aspects, while the law also allows sanctions against Russian leaders, officials and financial institutions, while extending punitive measures against Iran.

Energy requirements and the electoral deadline

Revenues from the hydrocarbon trade are a key element in financing the Russian military effort, CNBC points out. This exemption granted by Donald Trump directly succeeds another derogation decided a week earlier by the US administration, which temporarily suspended sanctions on Russian diesel exports until April 2027. This first step was taken with the aim of relieving the energy supplies energized by the conflict in Iran.

The issue of high fuel prices is a particularly sensitive issue for the US electorate, while the mid-term elections on 3 November 2026 are emerging. Donald Trump's Republican Party has only a small majority in both chambers of the United States Congress, CNBC notes.

Long reactions in Moscow, Washington and Brussels

The American decision generated mixed reactions. On social network X, Kirill Dmitriev, economic envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, praised the suspension of certain clauses of the Graham law as an important and truly historic moment, affirming that the economic dialogue between Washington and Moscow as well as the peace efforts would continue.

On the other hand, the initiative has provoked strong criticism within the US political opposition. Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who had also been involved in the drafting of the Graham law, condemned this decree on the X network, believing that Donald Trump once again joined Russia and the supporters of his war machine, against the majority of Americans, Congress and European partners.

From Brussels, where he was speaking to the press on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the US-Russian agreement on diesel could set a precedent for further sanctions relief. Volodymyr Zelensky warned that further liftings could follow after the gas, to touch the banking system, certain personalities or the chemical industry, while stressing the continued dependence of the Ukrainian army on US military technologies and intelligence despite the search for alternatives.

Finally, CNBC reports that earlier in the week there was a restriction by Ukraine on Starshield, the military declination of SpaceX's Starlink network. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, stated on X that the ultimate responsibility for any network restrictions rests with the U.S. government and President.