Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev on Saturday described US President Donald Trump’s decision to waive a new package of Russia-related sanctions as a “historic moment”, saying Washington should prioritise dialogue and cooperation over confrontation with Moscow.
Under an agreement reached last week, Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel.
“The Trump administration’s suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment,” Dmitriev, an envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, wrote on X. A further 500,000 tonnes would follow in November, with another one million tonnes to be delivered “immediately thereafter”. The order was published on the White House website late in the evening, accompanied by a notification stating that a report explaining the decision had been submitted to Congress.
The decision to ease sanctions also comes at a difficult time for Kyiv, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged European Union leaders to provide nearly $80 billion in additional funding next year to support Ukraine’s war effort.
