Ukrainian delegation discussed with US "gaps" in restrictions on Russia’s military capabilities, - Vlasiuk
During its visit to Washington, the Ukrainian delegation held talks with U.S. officials, focusing on three main issues: the use of Western components in Russian weapons, a possible easing of sanctions on Russian oil, and circumvention schemes.
This was reported by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the President of Ukraine’s representative on sanctions policy, according to Censor.NET, citing "Suspilne".
In particular, he described the Ukrainian delegation’s visit to Washington as "productive," noting that the parties had identified "persistent gaps" in efforts to limit Russia’s military capabilities. The official said that following meetings with representatives of the U.S. Treasury Department, Department of Commerce, State Department, and FBI, as well as with officials from the Senate and House of Representatives, three key areas were discussed.
American components in Russian weapons
According to Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian side has gathered information on foreign components in "tens of thousands" of drones that have arrived in Ukraine over the past four years, including serial numbers and manufacturer data, and has shared this information with its American partners.
"Hundreds of drones mean thousands of Western components... If those components weren't available, there wouldn't be any drones," he said, referring to Russia's latest massive strike on Ukraine, during which Russia launched more than 600 UAVs in a single day.
Russia's revenue from energy trade in circumvention of sanctions
The presidential envoy also noted that significant attention was paid during the talks to Moscow’s revenues from energy trade—a key source of funding for the war against Ukraine. Specifically, during a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, discussions focused on lifting sanctions on Russian oil in March, following the launch of military operations against Iran in late February. On April 18, this exemption was extended for another month.
Vlasiuk noted that during meetings with U.S. officials, officials in Kyiv and Washington also agreed that they expect Europe to move more quickly to phase out Russian energy resources.
The talks also touched on the issue of Russia’s shadow fleet—the tankers that help Russia trade oil in circumvention of sanctions. Vlasiuk praised the U.S. actions against such vessels, particularly the seizures of these ships.
"We share a common view of the situation: the infrastructure of the shadow fleet, the operators, the owners, and the payments—Iran and Russia have a lot in common... That is why we have such shared interests here... "It seems to me that they (the Americans. — Ed.) also share the view that the Europeans could try to detain the tankers," Vlasiuk added.
Circumventing restrictions through cryptocurrency
According to the official, a more complex challenge is Russia’s use of cryptocurrency to circumvent sanctions. He noted that Moscow and Tehran are increasingly using cryptocurrencies and crypto exchanges to finance the purchase of critical components and dual-use goods. Although cooperation with the U.S. Treasury Department in this area is intensifying, Vlasiuk considers the measures taken to be ineffective due to a lack of regulation and limited control tools.
"Sometimes crypto exchanges don't even have a legal entity, and this online platform cannot technically be licensed. The key factor isn't the legal entity itself, but rather, for example, the code they use, or a generic address, or the network of wallets they utilize," he explained.
However, despite a certain convergence of positions between Kyiv and Washington, Vlasiuk expressed concern that the U.S. has not recently introduced any new large-scale sanctions packages, instead focusing on enforcing existing ones. He also pointed to 12 instances of sanctions relief against Russia and Belarus over the past year, which, in his view, send a "dangerous signal."
The presidential envoy warned that such steps could weaken the pressure on the Kremlin "at a critical moment."
"We believe that all of this only encourages Putin to avoid serious talks about peace on reasonable terms," the official concluded.
