US energy secretary calls Russia sanctions waiver a 'carrot' to end war, not an economic lifeline

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that the waiver exempting countries that buy Russian energy from steep tariffs and other sanctions is "a carrot we're dangling to end the war."

Wright made the remarks on ABC, pushing back against characterizations that President Donald Trump's waiver amounts to an "economic lifeline" for Russia.

Trump announced Friday that he would exercise his authority to waive sanctions, restrictions and tariffs under the Graham Russia-Iran Sanctions Act — a law he had signed a month earlier.

Named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, the law centers on imposing tariffs of up to 100 percent on all products entering the United States from the top five importers of Russian crude oil and natural gas. Trump moved to waive many of its sanctions provisions just before they were set to take effect.

"This is an inducement to Russia," Wright said. "If Russia can reduce its conflict with Ukraine — if it can bring about an energy truce or scale back the conflict enough to have diesel fuel to export — we're saying we'll allow that to flow into world markets."

"The only way Russia benefits from this is by exporting diesel fuel," he added, "and that can only happen through a peace deal with Ukraine, an energy truce, or steps toward peace."

Sen. Darline Graham — the late senator's sister and the Republican candidate running to succeed him in the midterm elections — came out against Trump's move Sunday, saying she would "choose to keep the pressure on Russia to end the war and lower gas prices."