US President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to retract or dilute a tough sanctions bill targeting Russia, demanding that Congress grant him full waiver authority over tariff impositions.
According to senior administration officials quoted in US media reports, the President’s team is pressing for language in the proposed legislation that gives him unchallenged power to suspend or remove punitive tariffs without needing further Congressional approval.
“The administration is not going to be micromanaged by the Congress on the president’s foreign policy. The bill needs a waiver authority that is complete,” a senior official was cited as saying.
The bill, introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, long known for his hawkish stance on Moscow, proposes imposing a steep 500 per cent tariff on Russian oil, gas, and other key imports. Although the draft includes a provision allowing a six-month exemption for countries affected by the sanctions, Trump’s demand for sole authority may stall or substantially alter the bill’s path through the Senate.
Graham posted on X that the measure would be voted on soon, and stated: “The Senate bill has a presidential waiver to give President Trump maximum leverage.”
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Trump’s retreat on the sanctions comes despite his recent criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin following the collapse of renewed peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
While Trump’s stance appears conciliatory, Russian officials remain entrenched in their conditions for peace. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted this week that any genuine solution must address what Moscow deems the “root causes” of the conflict—NATO’s expansion, Ukraine’s western alignment, and the bloc’s alleged role in fuelling instability.
“We don’t need a pause, which the regime in Kiev and its foreign handlers would like to use to regroup their forces, continue mobilisation, and strengthen their military potential,” Lavrov said.
Putin, meanwhile, has reiterated his demands that Ukraine recognise Russia’s post-invasion borders and commit to permanent neutrality, including constitutional limits on its armed forces.
Western observers believe that a breakthrough in negotiations—however unlikely—could dramatically shift the political dynamics in Kyiv. Ukraine’s war-time President Volodymyr Zelensky, once hailed as a wartime hero, may face political turbulence as the country approaches a critical election cycle.
Analysts say that while Trump’s proposed rollback of sanctions might not indicate a softening towards the Kremlin, it could mark a strategic pivot to reclaim executive leverage in shaping US foreign relations, particularly in the run-up to the 2026 midterms.
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