Trump waives Russia-related sanctions before they even kick in as Ukraine ties worsen

 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/16/europe/us-ukraine-russia-sanctions-intl-hnk

US President Donald Trump has waived a further slate of sanctions related to Russian fossil fuel sales, days before they were to take effect under a bill he signed into law last month.

The waiver announced in an executive order Friday comes as Trump increasingly feuds with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and cracks appear in Washington’s support for Kyiv in its yearslong war against its invading neighbor, deepening alarm among European allies.

The White House has heaped pressure on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries as it seeks to ease oil prices ahead of midterm elections at home. Kyiv briefly acceded to the request, but has since resumed attacks — and Russia has continued to pound Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the week.