Bessent Says No Russia Sanctions Came Off, Only the Diesel Embargo

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday to make a fine but important distinction: President Trump waived a Russia sanctions law on Friday, but according to Bessent, that does not mean any sanctions were lifted.

"No sanctions were lifted on Friday," Bessent said, according to Anadolu Agency, which reported that he said the only thing lifted was the embargo on Russian diesel. "The only thing that has been lifted is the diesel embargo," he said. He also said the administration has a 60-day period to examine the situation.

The argument matters because the waiver has drawn criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and, according to one account, from members of both parties in Congress. Whether waiving a sanctions law counts as lifting sanctions is contested, and it is the question at the center of the dispute.

What Trump Actually Waived

The law in question is the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The Washington Examiner described the sanctions and tariffs it carries against Russia as "sweeping." According to the Examiner, Trump waived the act shortly after striking a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift the embargo on Russian diesel, and the stated aim of that deal is to lower energy prices ahead of the midterms. The details of the deal and that motive come only from the Examiner's framing and have not been independently confirmed. No text of the waiver has been made public in the reporting available so far.

The Examiner's headline and opening paragraphs say Bessent argued that "no one has been tougher" than Trump. We could confirm that phrase only from the Examiner's headline and lede, not from the interview itself. Bessent also cited the sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, which Anadolu described as Russia's two largest energy companies.

The Examiner also reported that the waiver drew "fierce criticism" from Zelensky and from both parties in Congress. No individual lawmakers were named in the portion of the report available, and we could not verify that claim independently.

Zelensky Raises the Stakes

Zelensky, in an NBC interview that aired earlier, said the United States siding with Putin would be a "historic mistake," Anadolu reported. He also said Ukraine had experienced a temporary interruption in American intelligence sharing, along with restrictions on satellite communications.

Bessent rejected the charge that the administration caused those disruptions. "It is very reckless for President Zelensky to make such a charge," he said, per Anadolu. He denied that Washington is siding with Moscow, citing U.S. intelligence support, Starlink access, and arrangements that let NATO members buy American weapons for Ukraine. Anadolu does not say whether the interruption Zelensky described is confirmed, and it remains unclear from the available reporting what caused it.

A Complaint About Europe

Bessent also criticized Europe for continuing to buy Russian energy while financing Moscow, according to Anadolu. He went further and said: "The Europeans have given Russia and Vladimir Putin more money than they've given the Ukrainians." He offered no data for the claim, so for now it rests on the Treasury secretary's word.

The Diesel Question

The dispute comes down to how to describe what happened Friday. Bessent says only the diesel embargo was lifted. Both the Examiner and Anadolu describe Trump waiving the Graham Act and lifting the embargo, and whether the waiver itself amounts to lifting sanctions is contested.

The 60-day review Bessent described is the next marker. By our own calculation, counting from the Friday, October 16 waiver, that period would end around mid-December. Neither source states that date.

What comes next is that review period, congressional reaction, and any move by lawmakers to override the waiver. The full NBC interview, the text of the waiver and Zelensky's complete remarks should fill in the gaps that remain.