US Extends Sanction Waivers for Russian Oil, Allows Sale of Offshore Oil
The US administration extended a sanction waiver for one month, allowing the sale of Russian oil at sea to mitigate surging global energy prices caused by Middle East conflicts.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 12:18
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 12:31 (13 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 21:31 (8h 59m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA, Washington, 17th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) The US President Trump administration issued a one-month sanction waiver today, allowing the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products currently at sea. This move continues earlier actions taken to mitigate surging energy prices.
According to AFP, just two days before the US Treasury Department issued this license, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had declared that Washington would not renew the waiver.
The latest measure allows the purchase of oil and petroleum products loaded onto any vessel as of the 17th, valid until 12:01 AM on May 16. This extends the previous sanction relief that expired on April 11.
However, Bessent told the media on the 15th that the US would not extend sanction waivers for Russian or Iranian oil. Both measures aimed to mitigate the global supply shock caused by the US-Israel-Iran war.
Tehran took retaliatory measures after the war broke out, effectively blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy transit route. This caused oil prices to soar, putting pressure on countries, especially those relying on Middle Eastern energy exports. US gasoline prices also rose sharply, putting pressure on household livelihoods ahead of crucial midterm elections this year.
However, such waivers may complicate efforts to deprive Russia of oil revenues, which it needs to wage war against Ukraine. The war triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has become the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.
This week, after G7 finance ministers met in Washington, French Foreign Minister Roland Lescure emphasized that "Russia must never be allowed to benefit from the situation in Iran." He added that Ukraine should not suffer "collateral damage" either.
(CNA, Washington, 17th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) The US President Trump administration issued a one-month sanction waiver today, allowing the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products currently at sea. This move continues earlier actions taken to mitigate surging energy prices.
According to AFP, just two days before the US Treasury Department issued this license, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had declared that Washington would not renew the waiver.
The latest measure allows the purchase of oil and petroleum products loaded onto any vessel as of the 17th, valid until 12:01 AM on May 16. This extends the previous sanction relief that expired on April 11.
However, Bessent told the media on the 15th that the US would not extend sanction waivers for Russian or Iranian oil. Both measures aimed to mitigate the global supply shock caused by the US-Israel-Iran war.
Tehran took retaliatory measures after the war broke out, effectively blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy transit route. This caused oil prices to soar, putting pressure on countries, especially those relying on Middle Eastern energy exports. US gasoline prices also rose sharply, putting pressure on household livelihoods ahead of crucial midterm elections this year.
However, such waivers may complicate efforts to deprive Russia of oil revenues, which it needs to wage war against Ukraine. The war triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has become the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.
This week, after G7 finance ministers met in Washington, French Foreign Minister Roland Lescure emphasized that "Russia must never be allowed to benefit from the situation in Iran." He added that Ukraine should not suffer "collateral damage" either.