Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [Getty Images]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [Getty Images]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again criticized US President Donald Trump's decision to delay new sanctions against Russia, calling it a "miscalculation," Yonhap said.

In a post on X on Saturday (local time), Zelensky said the decision to suspend the sanctions law amounted to a mistake. "The decision to nullify and block all of this appears to be a miscalculation," he wrote. "This clearly only helps Russia."

The suspended legislation was named in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator who died suddenly in July.

Graham, widely regarded as one of Trump's closest allies, was a staunch hawk on Russia.

The Graham Act centered on imposing tariffs not only on countries that are major buyers of Russian energy, but also on those that help Russia evade sanctions.

Trump decided Saturday to delay the law's implementation, citing national interest.

High diesel prices in the United States and the midterm election calendar have been cited as factors behind the decision.

Zelensky said Trump's move would embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and encourage further Russian aggression.

"This only pours fuel on their sense of satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people," he said. "This will clearly not stop the war." He added: "Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions continues, and I think the 'diesel deal' is just the first step."

Zelensky keeps up criticism of Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [Reuters/Yonhap]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [Reuters/Yonhap]

Zelensky had also said Saturday that Trump's decision to allow the resumption of Russian diesel sales on international markets was "inappropriate."

Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, Zelensky called the "diesel deal" Trump struck with Putin inappropriate and said he expected a similar agreement on Russian gas to follow.

"We will see cash start flowing back into Russia again because of this deal," Zelensky said. "This deal falls far short of offsetting the blow from the Strait of Hormuz, but it will put more money directly into Putin's pockets to fund the war."

He also argued that Putin has no desire for peace negotiations in any form. "He claims Russia is engaging in talks, but he is playing word games and toying with any genuine will to end the war," Zelensky said.


yul@heraldcorp.com