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America Faces Hypocrisy Allegations Over Russia Sanctions And Trade Policies
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Firstpost•16-10-2026, 16:38
America Faces Hypocrisy Allegations Over Russia Sanctions And Trade Policies
- •The 30-day enforcement deadline under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 approaches, allowing President Donald Trump to impose up to 100 per cent tariffs on major Russian energy buyers like China and India.
- •Despite pushing to curb Russia's war revenues, the Trump administration has finalized significant diesel deals with President Vladimir Putin and increased overall US imports from Russia.
- •US imports of Russian nuclear fuels have continued through legal loopholes and waivers, making Russia the largest foreign source for American nuclear reactors despite previous bans.
- •President Trump's second term has marked a sharp shift from prior US diplomatic policies, including controversial stances on Crimea and territorial concessions that have frustrated European allies.
- •Critics highlight a double standard as Washington penalizes Asian nations for buying Russian energy while simultaneously permitting critical Russian commodities to enter US markets for domestic stability.
Key Questions Answered
The 30-day enforcement deadline under Article 113 of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ends this Sunday, allowing President Donald Trump to begin imposing punitive tariffs up to 100 per cent on major buyers of Russian energy.
President Trump's diesel deal with President Putin allows the purchase of 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel in its first month, increasing to 500,000 tonnes the following month and reaching 1 million tonnes for December and onwards.
A bipartisan group of US Senators questioned the deal, arguing it runs directly counter to the 2022 law signed by President Joe Biden that explicitly banned Russian energy imports to prevent American funds from financing the war in Ukraine.
