Trump suspended new sanctions on Russia that he had signed

The executive order of the US President was issued two days before the sanctions deadline and one week after the gasoil contract with Putin.

US President Donald Trump has suspended the sweeping package of sanctions against Russia he signed last month, telling Congress that the suspension is in the national interest.

Trump signed the executive order on Friday, two days before the deadline for legislation that would put the sanctions into effect.

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The bill's ending -- named after Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died unexpectedly in July after returning from Ukraine -- passed the House and Senate by wide margins. The bipartisan legislation was authored by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.

By sanctioning Russian officials, banks and a shadowy fleet of tankers carrying its energy, it tried to deprive Moscow of money for the war.

It also ordered Trump to impose 100 percent tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas, excluding countries that import less than 15 percent of Russian natural gas exports and take steps to reduce them.

The decision to suspend sanctions comes a week after Trump said the US had signed a deal to buy diesel from Russia to lower global fuel prices.

Both Republicans and Democrats criticized the deal, saying it would help Russia's war effort without affecting fuel prices.

Rep. Don Baier, a Democrat, said he and others had "warned" that Trump might do so, given Trump's deal with Moscow.

Baier called on Congress to "fix this flawed law to prevent Trump from caving in to Putin and ensure that he actually supports Ukraine."

Trump has been increasingly critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently for failing to reach an agreement with Russia.