The White House released an executive order that Trump signed on Friday in which he waived the sanctions on countries that trade with Russia as provided for in the Lindsey Graham sanctions act, which Trump just signed into law last month. “I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Trump said in the order. “I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States.” The order did not specify why the decision served the national interest, and said the waiver will remain in effect until the Trump administration determines that “further action is appropriate.” Trump acted just two days ahead of the Oct. 18 deadline in the law requiring determinations on imposing sanctions and additional tariffs not only on Russia but also on Russia’s major trading partners.

Not surprisingly, Ukraine’s acting president, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned the move. “At a time when the Russians have carried out such a massive attack on our energy sector, a decision was unfortunately made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end,” he said, reported CNN. “This Act could have helped enormously—and still can! But it needs to actually work, and every voice in support of it matters.”

Members of Congress also condemned the waiver. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren called it an “abject and predictable failure in leadership,” citing “strong bipartisan support” for Ukraine. Republican Rep. Don Bacon said Trump “is prolonging the war, not ending it.”