Rubio: Trump is Using 60-Day Period to Study Impact of Russia Sanctions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that President Donald Trump will use a period of up to 60 days to assess the economic impact of US sanctions on Russia and tariffs imposed on countries purchasing Russian energy, according to the Kyiv Post citing Reuters.

Speaking to reporters before heading to Uzbekistan, Rubio explained that the executive waiver from sanctions under the 2026 Lindsey Graham Sanctions Act on Russia and Iran represents an "analytical pause" rather than a permanent abandonment of statutory sanctions.

He said that "the President wants to use the sixty-day period to analyze what applying sanctions and tariffs together would mean for the global economy and even for the US economy," pointing to partners like India depending on Russian oil, and the overlapping of Middle East crises with the war in Ukraine.

Trump signed an executive order on Friday, October 16, suspending commercial tariffs and secondary sanctions 48 hours before their statutory implementation date on Sunday, October 18, relying on Section 115 of the law, which allows the president to grant waivers if certified to Congress as being in the national interest.

What do these terms mean?

Secondary sanctions: Sanctions imposed by a country on foreign companies or other nations to deter them from dealing with the targeted state.

Tariffs: Taxes levied on imported goods that increase their cost for consumers and importers.

Presidential waiver: An authority allowing the president to suspend the enforcement of a legal sanction for a specified period.

Graham Act: A 2026 US law named after Senator Lindsey Graham that imposes sanctions on Russia, Iran, and those dealing with them.