Victory for Putin: Trump pulls the rug out from under Zelensky

US President Trump signed an executive order freezing most sanctions against Russia, two days before the deadline to impose tariffs on Russian oil buyers. The decision was made amid an agreement to purchase diesel from Moscow. Zelensky harshly criticized the move. The headline defines this as a 'victory for Putin'.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order freezing the implementation of most sanctions against Russia, which were established in a bipartisan law he signed just last month. The decision came two days before the deadline to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian oil, and amid an agreement to purchase diesel from Moscow. Trump justified the decision based on US national interests, as part of an attempt to end the war in Ukraine and curb energy prices ahead of the midterm elections. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky harshly criticized the move, saying that removing economic pressure encourages Putin to continue the war. The decision sparked sharp reactions in Congress, including from Republican lawmakers. The headline defines the move as a 'victory for Putin', while the body presents a temporary freeze while retaining the possibility of reimposing sanctions in the future.