Treasury Secretary Bessent defends Trump's waiver of Russian sanctions

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has denied claims that President Donald Trump rewarded Russian President Vladimir Putin by lifting sanctions. During an interview on ‘Meet the Press’, Bessent clarified that no existing sanctions were lifted, asserting that European nations continue to pay Russia for energy.

Bessent explained that the President effectively waived a provision of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which would have mandated additional tariffs on goods from major Russian oil and gas importers. According to Bessent, the only change made was the removal of the embargo on Russian diesel. He maintained that the administration has been tougher on Russian energy companies, such as Rosneft and Lukoil, than previous leadership.