Trump Delays Russia Sanctions, Drawing Zelensky Backlash
AM730 · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
US President Donald Trump has postponed multiple new sanctions and tariff measures against Russia just days before they were due to take effect, arguing that harsher pressure could push Moscow away from negotiations. He said he is actively trying to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and claimed the talks have made major progress, while also blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not wanting the war to end. Zelensky rejected that framing, calling the delay an unfortunate and mistaken decision that economically rewards Russian President Vladimir Putin and could embolden further attacks on Ukraine. The dispute has sharpened strains between Washington and Kyiv even as Zelensky said the United States has resumed sharing critical intelligence with Ukraine after a brief interruption
Key Points
- Trump announced on October 17 that he would delay several Russia sanctions measures, with the original start date only two days away
- In a Sunday Truth Social post, Trump said he wanted to avoid reckless steps that might cause Russia to leave negotiations.
- Trump accused Zelensky of not wanting peace, and said that if Kyiv had accepted a deal two years ago, terms might have been better.
- Zelensky said the delay was an economic reward for Putin, warned it could encourage more killing, and predicted Washington might ease more sanctions
- Zelensky said Russian forces attacked more than 15 Ukrainian power facilities on Friday and were intensifying strikes in western Ukraine
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the immediate consequence is the risk of further volatility in global energy and diesel markets, an issue Trump himself linked to attacks on Russian refineries and wider market disruption. The episode also matters because any weakening of US pressure on Moscow could reshape the diplomatic balance of the war, affecting global trade sentiment and financial markets that Hong Kong closely tracks.