April 18, 2026

US Lifts Sanctions on Russian Oil for Another Month Despite Previous Statements

Washington has allowed operations for the sale of Russian oil loaded onto tankers before April 17 until May 16. Previously, the head of the US Treasury Department stated that he would not extend the restrictions. This is reported by Reuters. In mid-March, US authorities eased sanctions against Russian oil. The reason for this was the sharp jump in fuel prices due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important fuel export route. On April 11, the special license expired, through which the Russian Federation could trade oil and petroleum products for a month. Then, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Washington would not extend the exceptions. According to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Russia's income from the sale of oil, gas, and coal in March increased by 52% compared to February, reaching €713 million per day. This is the highest figure in the last two years.