Al Arabiya Net _ U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated yesterday evening, Saturday, that President Donald Trump's decision to freeze sanctions and tariffs imposed on Russia aims to grant a 60-day window to assess the impact of these measures on the global economy.
According to Rubio, "The President wants to utilize this time (60 days) to analyze what the imposition of sanctions and tariffs could mean for the global economy, and even for the U.S. economy," noting that the economic restrictions affect a number of countries, not just Russia.
He considered that several conflicts affect global energy prices, including the U.S. war on Iran.
He added: "These conflicts have begun to overlap with one another, and just as they affect global oil and diesel prices, they also affect economies."
For his part, Trump stated late Saturday that his decision would benefit the United States.
He added, "It is a very good decision, and it will serve the interest of the country, and I also believe it will be in the interest of the world."
Trump's Decision Exempts Moscow from Sanctions and Tariffs Approved by Congress Last Month
Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers fiercely criticized Trump following an executive order he signed on Friday, under which he exempted Russia from sanctions and tariffs passed by Congress last month.
The law, which Trump signed in mid-September, targets the Russian energy and defense sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, and the so-called "shadow fleet" of Russian oil tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions.
It specifically grants Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India.
However, the U.S. President decided to exempt Russia from the economic restrictions just two days before the law was set to take effect.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis, known for his criticism of Trump, posted on the X platform: "This goes beyond the bounds of irresponsibility," adding, "If the President truly wants to lower energy prices, he can do so by resolving the Iranian issue, not by doing a favor for Vladimir Putin."
For his part, Republican Senator Ted Cruz described the decision as a "mistake."
The Decision Came After Trump Agreed with Putin to Resume Russian Diesel Exports
Trump's move came following an agreement with Putin to resume Russian diesel exports in exchange for easing U.S. sanctions on Moscow.
The repercussions of the sharp rise in diesel prices resulting from the war with Iran have begun to impact the U.S. economy, while cost-of-living concerns top voter priorities ahead of next month's midterm elections.
Opinion polls indicate the potential for electoral losses for the Republicans led by Trump.
Rubio stated, "The diesel that Putin was going to sell would have reached the global market one way or another. The only difference is the volume of quantities the United States will receive," emphasizing the importance of this fuel for the trucking, agriculture, and construction sectors in the United States.
On his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern that the United States might lift further sanctions on Russia, considering Trump's move a "reward" to Putin.
