Trump says the Russia sanctions pause keeps Moscow at the table

Trump said he blocked the sanctions so as not to drive Russia away from the bargaining table while he negotiates peace in Ukraine.

Length of the pause

60 days

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the move a 60-day pause to study the sanctions' effect on the US and global economies.

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the order truly historic, while Zelensky said siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be a historic mistake.

Buyers of Russian crude

1. 1 China, about half
2. 2 India, about 37%

Despite sanctions, Russia still exports oil: China takes about half of its crude exports and India about 37 per cent, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.