Commentary
Democratic Security
Did Babiš Just Launch a Culture War? – COMMENTARY
27 October 2026
America’s diesel deal offers the Kremlin too little to change its strategy and too much to lose for Kyiv. What are the alternatives for Trump before the mid-terms?
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump allowed Russia to sell diesel on the global market for six months. A week later, he suspended new American sanctions against the Kremlin. The White House hoped to bring down fuel prices and persuade President Vladimir Putin to return to negotiations. But the ‘energy ceasefire‘ announced by the Trump Administration never materialised, and Russia continued to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Moscow secured sanctions relief without making any commitments in return.
The economics of October’s concessions
In September, Trump signed into law the Graham Act, which provided for new sanctions against Russia and Iran. The law stipulated tariffs of 500 per cent on Russian goods and 100 per cent on goods from the five countries buying the most Russian oil and gas, as well as the five countries most actively helping Russia circumvent sanctions.
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