Zelensky calls on allies to press Trump over Russia sanctions pause

Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraine's allies to publicly support the Lindsey Graham Russian Sanctions Act after Donald Trump signed an executive order blocking the package from taking effect, describing the move as unfortunate while stopping short of direct criticism of the US president.

Trump's order, framed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a 60-day pause to assess economic impacts, drew bipartisan condemnation in Congress. Republican senator Thom Tillis called it "beyond irresponsible." Republican senator John Cornyn invoked the late Lindsey Graham, who died this summer after working to pass the legislation that now bears his name. The bill cleared the Senate 86-11.

Rubio cited high US energy prices and the ongoing Iran conflict as reasons for the pause. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the order as giving "the Russian economy life support."

No prediction market currently lists a verified contract on whether Congress will override the executive order or whether the sanctions take effect within the 60-day window.

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Eleanor Ashworth

Senior Markets Analyst

Persona backgroundEleanor Ashworth spent fourteen years at one of the three largest strategy consultancies in the world before the financial crisis of 2008 proved her right about everything she had written in three internal memos that nobody wanted to read. She was not one of the people who was wrong.