The United States has once again temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil, issuing a new exception that allows the delivery and sale of certain shipments already at sea. The decision was made by the US Treasury Department at a time when Washington publicly insists it continues to pressure the Kremlin.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 17 April published General License 134B, which authorizes operations involving Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels as of that date. The exception is valid until 16 May and replaces a previous license that expired on 11 April.
A narrow carve-out with broader implications
The updated license is narrow in scope — it applies only to oil already loaded onto ships — but critics say the repeated use of such exceptions risks undermining the broader sanctions regime imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Leading Senate Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Jeanne Shaheen, condemned the decision as a "180-degree reversal," arguing that it sends a mixed signal at a time when Russia continues its military campaign against Ukraine.
"This decision is shameful," they said in a joint statement, pointing to ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine and warning that easing sanctions could prolong the war.
Mixed signals from the administration
The new license appears to sit uneasily alongside recent statements from senior officials. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on 15 April that Washington would not extend waivers that had allowed the purchase of Iranian and Russian oil without the application of US sanctions.
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Earlier, US President Donald Trump extended for another year the state of emergency introduced in response to Russia's actions, which restricts the movement and docking of Russian vessels in American ports. This was stated in an official White House notice published in the Federal Register on 17 April.
Port ban on Russian vessels extended
The United States has extended the ban on Russian vessels docking in its ports for another year. The regime was first introduced by 46th US President Joe Biden on 21 April 2022 through Proclamation 10371, citing the threat to US international relations posed by Russia. At that time, the Secretary of Homeland Security was granted authority to regulate the movement and docking of Russia-linked vessels in American ports.
The new document states that the actions of the Russian government continue to pose a threat, and therefore the grounds for the state of emergency remain in force, according to the White House notice sent to Congress.
