US senators urged not to extend exemption for Russian oil
A group of Democratic senators in the U.S. Congress has called on the Donald Trump administration not to extend the sanctions exemption for Russian oil.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by Democrat Richard Blumenthal.
A letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the inadmissibility of extending the sanctions exemption for Russian oil due to the war in the Middle East, published by Blumenthal, was signed by six Democratic senators. In addition to Blumenthal, they are Jean Shaheen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Christopher Coons, Jackie Rosen, and Mark Kelly.
"We strongly urge the Department not to extend this authorization. This policy, though temporary and limited in scope, risks providing Russia with a steady stream of revenue at a time when it is actively continuing its war against Ukraine and continues to harm the United States… To continue weakening sanctions against Russia, when it is providing Iran with valuable intelligence for strikes against our military and facilities, is unacceptable," the signatories emphasize.
They emphasize that extending the exemption from sanctions undermines all previous U.S. efforts to exert economic pressure on Russia and sends mixed signals.
"Moreover, the stated rationale for this policy—stabilizing global energy markets amid the war with Iran—has not held up in practice. There has been no significant drop in oil prices, which raises the question of whether the exemption has achieved its goal—while clearly aiding our rival," the senators note.
What happened before?
- The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the removal of a number of individuals and entities from the sanctions list related to Russia.
- The United States has granted a 30-day waiver allowing countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products that are subject to sanctions and are currently on tankers at sea. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called this move a measure to stabilize global energy markets, which have been unsettled by the war with Iran.
