‘I Can Sign It Later’: Trump Delays Russia Sanctions As Ukraine Hits St Petersburg With 1,000 Drones

Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia on Sunday, setting an oil export terminal and a depot ablaze in St Petersburg, as US President Donald Trump criticised Kyiv's attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and defended his decision to delay fresh sanctions against Moscow.

The strikes came amid a dispute over sanctions and diplomatic efforts to end the war. Trump said fresh restrictions could undermine negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that easing pressure on Moscow would strengthen its war effort. On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disputed Zelenskyy's claim that US intelligence-sharing had been temporarily interrupted.

Trump Defends Decision To Delay Russia Sanctions

Trump said on Sunday that he had decided against implementing new sanctions on Russia for now, arguing that additional restrictions could push Moscow away from negotiations.

“I don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,” Trump said.

Trump defended his decision to waive key Russia-related sanctions and tariffs before they took effect. The move drew bipartisan criticism, with opponents accusing him of favouring Putin's interests over those of Ukraine. Reuters reported that the waiver included tariffs and sanctions relating to Russian oil and gas under legislation Trump signed the previous month.

“I can sign it later, or any time that I want!” Trump added of the sanctions.

He also criticised Zelenskyy over Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, claiming the Ukrainian president “doesn’t want to end this war.”

Zelenskyy And Rubio Disagree Over Intelligence-Sharing

Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, Zelenskyy said waiving sanctions would strengthen Russia's war effort. He also said intelligence-sharing between the United States and Ukraine had resumed after being “blocked for some period of time.”

Zelenskyy said he trusted Trump but warned that Washington siding with Moscow would be a “historic mistake”.

“People want to forget what’s going on. But we can’t give this possibility to forget, or to change reality, or to change the truth,” Zelenskyy said. “We can’t compare me and Putin. He’s (an) aggressor. He occupied us. He killed adults and children, his soldiers. He’s a terrorist. And that’s why I hope that President Trump will be very clear with this position.”

On Monday, Rubio disputed Zelenskyy's account. According to Reuters, the US secretary of state said there had been no pause in intelligence-sharing and questioned why the Ukrainian president had made the claim.

“I don't know where he's getting these things or why he's saying these things to the press. You should go back and ask him. There's been no pause,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Uzbekistan.

The intelligence-sharing dispute coincided with a separate controversy over Ukraine's access to SpaceX's Starshield satellite system. Defense News reported, citing US and Western officials, that an order to restrict Ukraine's use of Starshield originated within the White House. The sources did not identify who made the decision, while a US official said Trump had not requested the restriction.

Rubio said Ukraine's request for Starshield access for deep strikes inside Russia was under discussion. He also denied that the White House had deliberately ordered a slowdown of Starlink services. Starshield is a military-grade satellite service, while Starlink provides commercial satellite internet; the reported restriction and the alleged slowdown are separate issues.

Zelenskyy said he had also discussed the October 9 Miami talks and “next steps in diplomacy” with US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Ukrainian Drone Strikes Hit St Petersburg Oil Facilities

The Ukrainian attacks triggered fires at the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchi oil depot in St Petersburg, local governor St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said. AP reported that one person had been killed and five wounded in the city. Reuters subsequently reported that one person had been killed and 15 injured across St Petersburg and the wider Leningrad region, citing local authorities.

Russian retailer Ozon confirmed that its logistics centre was targeted, while VK reported an attack on its data centre. Fire Point said the Ukrainian military had struck the VK data centre near St Petersburg, Reuters reported.

The attacks also disrupted operations at St Petersburg's main airport, according to reporting by Al Jazeera. Leningrad region governor Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said 145 drones had been shot down in the region and around 20,000 people were left without electricity.

In Ukraine, a woman was killed and at least two others, including a six-year-old girl, were wounded in Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia, local officials said.

Russia And Ukraine Trade Accusations Over Energy Ceasefire

Trump announced on October 11 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire”, but neither Kyiv nor Moscow confirmed an agreement. Kyiv subsequently reported continued Russian attacks on energy facilities, while Ukraine said it had resumed strikes on Russian oil installations after a three-day pause.

In a post on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia had attacked Ukraine's energy, oil and gas sectors 76 times in the week following Trump's announcement. He said overnight strikes had hit energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions, leaving tens of thousands of families without electricity.

Zelenskyy accused Moscow of trying to cause a blackout and said Russia had not taken reciprocal steps in response to Ukraine's restraint.

“America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements. On the contrary, they take every signal of an opportunity to make money as proof that their bet on war is paying off and they can keep fighting,” the Ukrainian president wrote.

Russian Strikes Kill One In Kyiv As Attacks Continue

Russia launched a large overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing one person and injuring eight, AP reported on Monday. Ukrainian air defences intercepted or neutralised 243 of the 269 drones launched, along with four missiles, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The strikes damaged residential buildings, a metro station, a shopping centre, medical facilities and educational institutions, AP reported.

Ukraine Apologises To Lithuania Over Drone Incursion

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry expressed regret on Sunday after a suspected drone entered Lithuanian airspace, prompting alerts that forced residents in parts of the country to seek shelter.

Reuters reported that Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the incursion may have resulted from Russian electronic warfare diverting drones during an operation against targets in Russia.

“We regret the incident that occurred this morning in Lithuanian airspace, which may have resulted from Russian electronic warfare diverting drones during an operation against legitimate military targets in Russia,” Tykhyi wrote on X.

He added: “We apologise for any disruption, risks, and concern this may have caused. We are committed to sharing all relevant information with our Lithuanian partners to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”

Lithuanian officials said a suspected drone had exploded over the country, with debris striking a moving car. No injuries were reported, and the incident remained under investigation.