Trump defends Russia sanctions pause, accuses Zelensky of hurting global diesel markets

US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to suspend new sanctions against Russia and major buyers of Russian energy, saying he does not want to jeopardise negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

The move, announced just two days before the measures were due to take effect, has deepened tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned that siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be a “historic mistake”. 

Trump said the suspension was intended to keep Moscow engaged in peace talks, adding that significant progress was being made, including in hostage negotiations. 

“My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

He added that he could sign the sanctions document later, arguing that implementing the measures immediately could undermine his diplomatic efforts. 

Trump accuses Zelensky of hurting energy markets 

Trump also criticised Ukraine's attacks on Russian diesel refineries, claiming they were disrupting global fuel markets and hurting American farmers, ranchers and businesses. He argued that Russia was continuing to supply millions of barrels of diesel to global markets at low prices, despite the conflict, and accused Zelensky of disregarding the wider economic consequences of the strikes. 

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Trump further questioned whether the Ukrainian president genuinely wanted to end the war, claiming that Ukraine had lost substantial territory and suffered severe military and demographic losses. He also criticised the financial assistance provided to Kyiv by European governments and the previous US administration under Joe Biden. 

"Zelenskyy is using Diesel Refineries in Russia as a target, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States. Farmers, ranchers, and businesses of all kinds are suffering greatly from this, but Russia is, nevertheless, sending, at a low price, millions of barrels of diesel to the World. Zelenskyy doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that Crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did. He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now. His country is in shambles, a large portion of his land is lost, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is low, wounded, and/or dead," Trump wrote.

“I WANT THIS WAR END!” he wrote. 

US announces 60-day pause on sanctions 

The suspended measures had been passed by the US Congress and signed into law by Trump in September. They were scheduled to take effect shortly after the decision was announced on Friday night. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the move as a 60-day pause to assess the potential impact of the sanctions on the American and global economies. 

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The suspension leaves open the possibility that the measures could be implemented later, depending on the administration's assessment and progress in peace negotiations. 

Zelensky warns against siding with Putin 

Zelensky pushed back against Washington's approach, telling NBC News that siding with Putin would be a “historic mistake”. 

The warning reflects Kyiv's concerns that easing economic pressure on Moscow could weaken Ukraine's negotiating position. Sanctions have been a key instrument of Western efforts to constrain Russia's ability to finance its military campaign. 

Russia welcomes Trump's decision 

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the suspension, calling it “an important and truly historic moment”. He argued that the sanctions would have inflicted “serious damage” on the US and global markets. 

The decision offers Moscow temporary relief from the threat of additional economic restrictions, but does not guarantee concessions in peace negotiations. 

The next 60 days could prove critical as Washington weighs the economic costs of sanctions against its diplomatic objectives. Whether the pause helps advance a settlement or deepens divisions between the US and Ukraine will depend on the progress of negotiations and the administration's decision on the measures.