President Donald Trump defended his decision to waive sweeping sanctions planned against Russia as an effort to keep Moscow at the negotiating table amid strong criticism from Kyiv and some US lawmakers that it sends the wrong message to the Kremlin.
Trump signed an executive order late on October 16 that waives new sanctions mandated by legislation named for the late US senator Lindsey Graham, an ardent supporter of Ukraine, days after giving temporary relief on Russian diesel sanctions.
Trump signed last month at the urging of lawmakers who want…