Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to waive new sanctions and tariffs aimed at pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin, asserting that the exemption was not an “economic lifeline” for Russia.

Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week,” Wright framed the waiver as a diplomatic strategy designed to incentivize an end to the conflict in Ukraine. “This is a carrot to try to end a war. It’s not an economic lifeline for Russia,” Wright stated.

The executive order, signed late Friday, postponed new sanctions that were slated to take effect just two days later. These economic measures were mandated by a bill named in honor of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, which the president had signed a month prior.

However, the decision drew criticism from Senator Darline Graham, Senator Graham’s sister and successor. “Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia to end the war and get the gas prices down, because I don’t trust Putin and don’t trust Russia,” she said Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also voiced disapproval, calling Trump’s move “wrong” and stating, “It definitely helps only the Russians.”

Despite these criticisms, Wright maintained that waiving the sanctions could still exert pressure on Russia. He explained that any benefit Russia might derive from exporting diesel would necessitate either reduced internal consumption, a scaled-back war effort, or the ability to repair refineries, all of which could be contingent on a peace agreement with Ukraine.

Trump’s executive order followed a controversial announcement the previous week of a deal to eventually import millions of tons of diesel from Russia, a move that appears to contradict a 2022 law prohibiting U.S. imports of Russian energy. The president also publicly criticized Ukraine’s targeting of Russian oil refineries, suggesting these actions were responsible for driving up global prices.

The diesel import deal has faced bipartisan opposition, particularly as domestic diesel prices have remained above $6 per gallon on average. President Zelenskyy characterized the deal as a “birthday gift” to Putin and argued last Sunday on “This Week” that rising prices are influenced by broader global conflicts, such as the war in the Middle East.

While some lawmakers have accused the Trump administration of appeasing Putin, Secretary Wright insisted that significant pressure remains on Russia. He asserted that the current sanctions are the strongest ever imposed on Russia under the Trump administration and that the president is committed to seeking an end to the prolonged war, referencing the substantial casualties incurred over four and a half years.