Major Victory for Russia and Putin as US Lifts Sanctions on Russian Oil Purchases
The U.S. temporarily allows shipments of sanctioned Russian oil to support global energy stability, acknowledging Moscow’s pivotal role and raising questions about Putin’s future demands in Ukraine.
The United States temporarily allows countries to purchase Russian oil. They acknowledge, in the most emphatic way, that they cannot exclude Russia from the energy map! No embargo…
The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, announced a temporary measure effective until April 11. The United States is temporarily permitting countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products subject to sanctions that are already loaded on ships en route.
Scott Bessent explained that the decision is strictly limited and short-term. Its aim is to support stability in global energy markets for the duration of the war.
The authorization applies only to shipments that have already begun transportation. It is not intended to provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government.
Oil prices again exceeded $100 per barrel on Thursday. At the same time, stock markets declined following attacks on three additional cargo ships in the Gulf and the new supreme leader of Iran’s pledge to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.
Bessent added that this temporary price surge is merely a short-term disruption. In the long term, however, it will bring huge benefits to the U.S. economy.
Earlier, he had stated that the U.S. government will begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as it becomes militarily feasible. The need for such escort was part of the plan from the outset, he told Sky News.
When asked if the operation could begin in the coming days, he responded that they will proceed immediately once safe passage is secured.
Russia states that the global energy market needs its oil
Russia’s economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev argued that without Russian oil, the global energy market cannot remain stable.
The United States is now acknowledging the obvious, Dmitriev said via Telegram. His message came immediately after the U.S. decision to temporarily allow countries to buy Russian oil.
Russia’s assistance becomes “valuable” to Trump
Given how things have developed, for Donald Trump to achieve his goal in Iran and extricate himself from the quagmire into which Netanyahu pushed him, he needs Russia’s active participation in negotiations with the mullahs in Tehran.
Russia, aside from China—which does not want to help Trump, is the only country that can influence the Iranian leadership in negotiations with the U.S.
Moreover, he needs Moscow in the battle against rising oil prices. If the American president wants to maintain his hopes of winning the November midterm elections, he cannot allow fuel prices to rise.
Without massive sales of Russian oil, that simply cannot happen.
Thus, he is forced to remove tariffs on anyone buying Russian energy. And the question arising from all these developments is simple but relentless:
“What concessions will Putin demand in Ukraine in exchange for all this?” The answer remains unknown.
What we do know is that some people are losing sleep in Brussels, Berlin, and Kyiv…
