US sanctions against Russian oil have been resumed

US sanctions on Russian oil began to take effect again after the administration of Donald Trump over the weekend allowed the deferral imposed due to the war in Iran to expire. Politico writes about this on April 14.

The US Treasury Department imposed a postponement of sanctions on Russian oil in March to lower oil and gas prices after Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in response to US-Israeli attacks. The license ended on April 11, and until that day it was not clear whether Washington would extend the measure. At the same time, Politico writes, Russia has many more ways to circumvent American sanctions.

"Even before the license was issued, sanctioned Russian oil was already entering the market, because the Trump administration has not introduced any countermeasures against Russia for more than a year, whether for oil sales or for critical purchases for the Kremlin's military needs," the publication quotes the words of the Democratic senator's aide.

At the same time, according to him, the Trump administration has already made it clear that it is ready to "turn a blind eye" to the sale of Russian oil in order to mitigate the consequences of the war in Iran. Therefore, the license "further pushed" Russia's intermediaries to load oil onto tankers "in anticipation of a new benefit."

On April 14, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin did not know about the possible extension of the US waiver of sanctions on the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products loaded onto tankers.