The United States has suspended sanctions on the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products transported by sea for a period of 30 days, despite earlier assurances that such licenses would not be reinstated.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced this decision through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which issued General License No. 134B. This license permits the delivery and sale of crude oil and petroleum products of Russian origin loaded onto vessels as of April 17, 2026.
Prior to this announcement, on March 13, the U.S. lifted sanctions on Russian oil that had already been loaded onto tankers at sea, with exceptions to the restrictions in place until April 11. Following this, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the easing of sanctions would yield a “modest” profit for Moscow, estimated at approximately $2 billion.
On April 16, during a briefing at the White House, Bessent reiterated that the U.S. would not renew the general license for Russian oil, contradicting the latest decision.
The U.S. has temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil imports for 30 days, raising questions about the consistency of its policy. This decision follows previous assurances against reinstating such licenses and highlights ongoing complexities in U.S.-Russia relations.