Rubio says that Trump will decide in at most 60 days whether to apply sanctions against Russia, after their suspension.

The American President Donald Trump will analyze the economic impact of the sanctions and trade tariffs against Russia for up to 60 days, whose application was suspended on Friday, before making a final decision, stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump signed an executive order on Friday suspending the application of certain sanctions and tariffs provided by the law known as the Graham Act, adopted last month to intensify pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, Reuters reports, quoted by Agerpres. The measures, which were to come into force next week, include customs tariffs on Russian products and penalties for countries that purchase oil and natural gas from Russia. "I believe the President wants to use the 60-day period to analyze what the application of the sanctions and tariffs will mean for the global economy as well as the economy of the United States," Rubio stated, before a trip to Uzbekistan. Trump affirmed on Saturday, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, that he had not yet made a final decision. "Many of you do not yet know what I will decide, but we will clarify things," he told the journalists. The suspension of sanctions occurs just a few weeks before the American legislative elections in November, at a time when the Trump administration is facing pressure due to high energy prices, fueled by the war with Iran and the disruption of global oil supplies. Rubio explained that the application of the Graham Act is complicated by the provisions that target energy-importing states, mentioning India, an important partner of Washington that continues to depend largely on Russian oil. The decision of the White House was criticized by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned that the suspension of sanctions would encourage Vladimir Putin and prolong the war. Republican Senator Darline Graham, whose brother, the late Lindsey Graham, supported the legislation, stated that she does not agree with the President's decision. "Personally, I choose to keep the pressure on Russia because I do not trust Putin nor Russia," she affirmed. Separately, Rubio defended the agreement reached by Washington with Moscow for increased deliveries of gasoline, aimed at reducing fuel prices. According to Trump, Russia will initially supply the United States with 300,000 tons of gasoline, with other transports to be made in November and later. "That gasoline will be sold in one way or another. The only difference is how much the United States will receive," Rubio stated. The Secretary of State emphasized that the suspension of sanctions and the agreement on gasoline reflect the difficulties generated by the overlap of conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, which increasingly affect global energy markets. Editor: M.B.