WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump defended his decision to ease sanctions on Russia even as it escalates the war against Ukraine, in a bid to contain rising anger from members of his own party over policies that have sided with Moscow over Kyiv.
In recent days, Trump struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week to lift sanctions on diesel imports and announced that he would not impose many sanctions on Russia that were due to take effect, undermining legislation passed by Congress.
"My decision on Russia is a very simple one," Trump wrote on social media. "I am in the process of negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table."
As the White House has taken a series of steps to ease economic pressure on Russia, Trump has publicly feuded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump repeated many of his criticisms in the Oct. 18 social media post, accusing Zelenskyy of being an obstacle to peace.
"Zelenskyy is using Diesel Refineries in Russia as a target, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States," Trump wrote. "He doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did."
The war of words has raised fears in Congress, Europe and Ukraine that Trump has decided to side with Putin over Zelenskyy at a time when Russia’s economy is faltering, and its military is struggling on the battlefield in Ukraine.
"I believe steps have been taken to convince Ukraine to capitulate," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Bloomberg News on Oct. 18. "That’s how it looks."
Several Republican lawmakers have expressed outrage at Trump's recent efforts to appease Putin and demanded that the White House implement the Russia sanctions legislation that Congress passed last month with bipartisan support.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, slammed Trump for waiving the Russia sanctions package in a statement on Oct. 17, writing that Putin will respond to Trump’s concessions "with contempt for the United States and increased violence against innocent Ukrainians."
"I urge the president to reverse course, use these sanctions, and return to the time-tested principle that lasting peace is secured through strength – not accommodation," he added.
Trump also responded to bipartisan criticism that his policy moves benefiting Russia's economy have come at a time when the United States is at war with Iran, which is receiving support from Moscow.
"Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared to what they could be doing, and I want to keep it that way, and will, unless stupid people get in the way," Trump wrote.
Just hours before Trump published his social media post, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that he will visit Tehran on Oct. 19.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump defends easing sanctions on Russia amid rising anger in Congress
