Trump defends pause on Russia sanctions as dispute with Zelenskyy deepens
publishers 28articles 31first reported 16 Oct, 02:30 UTCdeveloping since 11 Oct · 17 editions
US President Donald Trump defended his decision to suspend new sanctions on Russia, saying the move was intended to keep Moscow involved in negotiations over the war in Ukraine.
Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social that he did not want to drive Russia “away from the bargaining table” and said the sanctions could be imposed later. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the suspension as a 60-day pause to assess the measures’ potential effects on the US and global economies. The sanctions had been approved by Congress and were due to take effect shortly after Trump blocked them Friday.
Trump also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of not wanting to end the war and criticized Ukrainian attacks on Russian fuel infrastructure. Zelenskyy rejected comparisons between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He told NBC that US support for Moscow would be a “historic mistake” and said easing sanctions would strengthen Russia’s war effort.
Zelenskyy said Sunday that he had spoken with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about further diplomatic steps. He also said US intelligence sharing had resumed after a temporary interruption. Rubio said any interruption was not deliberate.
Tensions widened Monday when Zelenskyy accused Washington of delaying deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles that European allies had already paid for. The dispute follows a US waiver permitting Russian diesel exports as the Trump administration seeks to lower fuel prices.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 78 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 28
- Source articles
- 31
- Given to the writer
- 8, 4 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 78 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →