The United States has decided for the third time this spring to temporarily ease the sanctions pressure on the export of Russian oil. The new exemption allows for the transportation and sale of certain oil shipments that are already at sea.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Reasons and Features of the Latest Easing
It has become known that no official announcement has yet been published on the website of the US Department of the Treasury, although similar decisions were previously accompanied by relevant statements. However, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed on social media that the exemption was granted so that the most vulnerable countries could temporarily access Russian oil that had been blocked on tankers at sea.
“According to a source, the exemption from sanctions will be in effect for another 30 days. The United States issued the sanctions exemption to alleviate the oil supply shortage and the impact of high prices due to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli operation, but this step has done little to calm gasoline prices in the US,” the Reuters report stated.
Criticism of the Decision and Politicians’ Reactions
The mentioned sanctions easing pertains exclusively to oil that has already been loaded onto vessels and is limited in nature. However, some experts and politicians believe that such exemptions may weaken the overall sanctions regime that was introduced in response to the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Several influential Democrats in the US Senate, including Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Jeanne Shaheen, criticized a previous similar decision in April, calling it a “180-degree turn” and emphasizing that such a step sends a mixed signal during the ongoing hostilities of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. They highlighted that the easing of sanctions could prolong the war, as Russia continues its attacks on Ukrainian territory.
It is worth noting that back in April, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that Washington would no longer extend exemptions that allowed for the purchase of Iranian and Russian oil without sanctions. However, despite this statement, the exemptions were extended in May as well.