US explains holdup on new Russia sanctions, says Trump 'evaluates trade-offs'
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
President Trump isn't rushing to impose new sanctions on Russia because he wants to weigh all possible trade-offs, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
He noted that the White House has the right to delay imposing new sanctions against Russia until the 30-day deadline expires.
The US secretary recalled that a law Trump recently signed clearly defines the deadline.
"He (Trump – ed.) leaves every decision till the end. He'll evaluate the trade-offs," Wright said.
According to him, the US president is "working ceaselessly" to end the war in Ukraine and is in "constant dialogs with both sides."
Importantly, the White House chief signed the law imposing new sweeping sanctions on Russia on September 18, 2026. The 30-day period Chris Wright mentions therefore starts on September 18. The key date is October 18, 2026.
The law includes the possibility of imposing tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue buying Russian energy, as well as a range of other sanctions measures.
As previously reported, Trump backed a new plan to ease US sanctions on Russia.
However, the Kremlin did not like the idea, and Dmitry Peskov explained what exactly Moscow objects to.
