European Union has criticised US decision on Russian oil
The European Union has criticized the U.S. decision to further ease oil sanctions against Russia.
According to Censor.NET, this is reported in an article by Euractiv.
Sanctions Under Pressure: Brussels' Position
Brussels has stated that such a move could boost the Kremlin's revenues amid rising energy prices caused by the war in Iran.
European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis emphasized that the EU does not support the idea of easing sanctions pressure on Russia.
"From the EU's perspective, we do not believe that now is the time to ease the pressure on Russia," he said.
According to him, it is Russia that stands to gain financially from the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and rising fossil fuel prices.
"Consequently, now that we're on the subject, we need to step up this pressure," the European Commissioner emphasized.
Risks to sanctions and the energy market
The EU fears that any exemptions or relaxations of oil sanctions would allow Moscow to increase its revenue from energy exports. Russia uses these funds to finance the war against Ukraine.
Following the start of the full-scale invasion, the EU, the U.S., and the G7 countries imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. The main goal is to limit revenue from oil and gas sales.
At the same time, due to instability in the global market, certain countries have periodically agreed to temporary exemptions or relaxations for transactions involving Russian oil.
The recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the war in Iran have led to a new surge in oil prices. According to European officials, this has further strengthened Russia’s financial position.
In April 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury extended the temporary sanctions exemption for a second time. The purchase of Russian oil already at sea was permitted. The exemption was in effect from April 17 to May 16 and did not apply to shipments to Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Previously, the U.S. had stated that it did not plan to renew such licenses, but the decision was revised each time.
