White House / President·Russia-Ukraine
Trump defends Russia sanctions pause; Bessent says only the diesel embargo was lifted and calls Zelensky's Starlink charge 'reckless'
President Trump defended pausing sanctions on Russia, writing on Truth Social that he is 'negotiating Peace' and doesn't want to 'drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,' the New York Post reported. On NBC's 'Meet the Press,' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said 'the only thing that has been lifted is the diesel embargo,' with a 60-day period to examine the waiver of the Graham sanctions law, and called it 'very reckless' for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accuse the administration of throttling Ukraine's military Starlink access, the Washington Examiner and the Post reported. Zelensky, who called the decisions 'mistakes,' spoke Sunday with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- Washington ExaminerBessent says 'no one has been tougher' on Russian sanctions than Trump
- New York PostBessent blasts 'reckless' Zelensky for faulting US over Starlink throttling
- New York PostTrump defends pausing Russian sanctions, says peace deal is close