President Donald Trump is defending his decision to hold off on sanctions against Russia, and his reasoning is a familiar mix of diplomacy and pump prices. Keeping Vladimir Putin at the negotiating table and keeping fuel flowing, he argues, outweighs the immediate pressure on Moscow.

Why Trump Says Sanctions Can Wait

In a lengthy Truth Social post over the weekend, Trump said slapping the sanctions on now could push Russia away from negotiations to end its war with Ukraine. He also noted that Moscow had done relatively little to assist Iran and said he wanted to preserve that situation.

Zelenskyy Takes the Blame for Diesel Disruption

The president then turned his fire on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of targeting Russian oil refineries despite the potential consequences for global fuel markets. Those attacks, Trump argued, were hurting American farmers, ranchers and businesses by disrupting diesel supplies.

He also pointed to Russia's continued diesel exports, saying Moscow was supplying millions of barrels to global markets at low prices.

"Zelenskyy doesn't care," Trump wrote, accusing the Ukrainian leader of resisting a settlement despite receiving substantial financial assistance from the U.S. and Europe. He added, "I WANT THIS WAR END!"

The 60-Day Pause and the Graham Act

Trump delayed the sanctions Friday, two days before they were scheduled to take effect. He had signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in mid-September, introducing measures aimed at pressuring Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the move as a 60-day pause to evaluate their potential impact on the U.S. and global economies.

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the decision, calling it an "important and truly historic moment." He argued the sanctions could have inflicted significant economic damage.

What the Energy Market Is Saying

As of 9:33 p.m. EDT, WTI crude oil fell 0.57% to $99.42 per barrel, while Brent crude declined 1.62% to $108.08 per barrel as of 2:37 a.m. BST.

At the pump, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average price of regular gasoline is $4.2988 per gallon and premium costs $5.2049. Diesel prices average $6.3224 per gallon, while E85 averages $3.3168 per gallon.

Zelenskyy's Warning

Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for stronger sanctions against Russia, arguing that its energy revenues help finance the invasion launched in February 2022. Following Trump's latest decision, the Ukrainian president warned on NBC News that siding with Putin would be a "historic mistake" and expressed concern that Washington could ease additional restrictions.

Zelenskyy has also raised concerns that restrictions could affect Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s (NASDAQ: SPCX) Starlink, the satellite internet network used by Ukrainian forces and U.S. intelligence sharing. Trump has denied deliberately slowing Starlink or halting intelligence cooperation.