Trump accused of 'sucking up to Putin' after he lifts his own sanctions against Russia

US President Donald Trump was accused of prolonging the war in Ukraine by blocking his own new sanctions against Russia.

His claim that waiving the measures at the eleventh hour was in the 'national interest' prompted a furious backlash from American politicians across party lines, who called it a betrayal.

The sanctions, signed into law by Mr Trump in September, intended to starve Russia of resources needed to sustain its four-year war against its neighbour.

His U-turn was condemned by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who said sanctions 'could have helped enormously' by imposing 'truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end'.

As he spoke, his nation was counting the cost of another Russian attack on energy facilities, one of the biggest since the war began, which left nine people dead and around 60 injured.

'Russia is trying to cause a blackout in Ukraine – right before winter,' said Mr Zelensky.

Relations between Washington and Kyiv frayed after the US struck a controversial deal to import Russian diesel last week to try to reduce energy prices before the midterm elections in November.

Mr Trump's war against Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have lifted energy prices.

The Kremlin has praised as 'historic' Donald Trump's waiver of imminent sanctions on Russia in a move which could bolster its war against Ukraine. Pictured: Vladimir Putin 

Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia on Friday

Rescuers put out a fire outside residential buildings damaged following a Russian missile attack in Zaporizhzhia on October 17

Republican Congressman Don Bacon said Mr Trump's 'latest surrender to [Russian president Vladimir] Putin betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of

legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression...he is prolonging the war, not ending it'.

And Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal accused Mr Trump of 'sucking up to Vladimir Putin' whom he called a 'bloodthirsty thug' and siding with the 'enablers of Russia's war machine and against the majority of Americans... and our European allies'.

Using executive order powers, Mr Trump moved to withhold tariffs of up to 100 per cent on buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India.

The sanctions would have targeted Putin, senior figures within the Russian government, banks and the Kremlin's 'shadow fleet' of tankers used to circumvent existing sanctions. 

They were part of a law named after Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July after spending more than a year building support for the measures,

Mr Trump has repeatedly blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for rising fuel prices and last week called for Mr Zelensky to be replaced. 

But his war with Iran remains the biggest factor limiting fuel supplies.

The price increases have triggered inflation weeks ahead of the midterms that could cost Republicans control of Congress.

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called Mr Trump's waiver 'an important and truly historic moment' and that economic cooperation benefited both nations.

As tensions rose, Lord Ricketts, a former national security adviser, warned of the danger from 'hybrid attacks' by Russia. 

Police and paramedics evacuate a resident from an apartment building damaged during a Russian air strike

He said: 'I'm not saying there's going to be industrial war with tanks rolling across the north German plain, but...these hybrid attacks are getting more reckless, more dangerous...people are going to end up getting killed somewhere.'

He added that ministers must do more to protect key infrastructure, adding that the Government had to warn the public about what might be coming.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that ministers are to bring in tough new laws to deter Russia from sabotaging undersea cables through hybrid attacks using its so-called 'shadow fleet vessels'.

In April, the Royal Navy foiled a covert operation by three Russian submarines which were snooping on critical subsea cables in UK waters about 200 nautical miles from the coastline.

The cables – described as the 'hidden backbone' of the economy – carry £1.4trillion of daily transactions, which means damaging them will lead to the country being crippled. 

A White Paper on Thursday which will set out tougher prison sentences for anyone damaging the cables, and bigger fines.

Hundreds of British troops will head to Poland next month to rehearse deploying to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. 

Personnel from several countries will simulate moving troops and logistical supplies such as food and fuel as part of a multinational peacekeeping effort. 

It is understood the exercises will involve at least 1,500 British, French and German troops, alongside Polish forces.