Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he is "negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine and don't want to foolishly do something that will cause Russia to withdraw from the negotiating process."
Trump said "great progress" had been made toward a settlement, including in talks on the release of hostages. He said he could sign the sanctions law at any moment, "when I want."
The US president also said Russia "does very little, if anything" to help Iran, and that he wants it to stay that way. In his view, "stupid people" could disrupt this.
Separately, he accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of striking Russian oil refineries. Trump claimed the attacks cause "serious damage" to global diesel markets, hurting farmers, ranchers and businesses in the United States. Russia, he added, "supplies millions of barrels of diesel fuel to the world market at a low price," but Zelensky "doesn't care."
According to Trump, Zelensky "doesn't want to end this war and probably never did." The US president said the Ukrainian side could have struck a more favorable deal two years ago. "His country lies in ruins, a significant part of his territory is lost, he no longer has his oceans and seas, and few men remain — they are wounded or killed," Trump wrote.
The sanctions law, which Trump blocked by executive order, provides for 100% tariffs on goods from the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas and from countries that help Moscow circumvent restrictions. It also imposes 500% tariffs on Russian exports to the United States and restrictions on banks, major energy companies and Russia's shadow fleet. The ban on imposing the sanctions will remain in effect until Trump himself or the secretary of state, in agreement with the treasury secretary and the US trade representative, decide to impose them.