Ukraine Warns US Easing Of Russian Oil Sanctions Will Boost Moscow's War Chest

Ukraine Ukraine Warns US Easing Of Russian Oil Sanctions Will Boost Moscow's War Chest By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service March 13, 2026 19:35 CET Ukraine Warns US Easing Of Russian Oil Sanctions Will Boost Moscow's War Chest Share Share Print Kyiv has warned that a move by the United States to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian oil to stabilize the global energy markets amid its military campaign against Iran could add around $10 billion to the Kremlin's war chest to use against Ukraine. On March 13, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil ⁠and petroleum products that are currently stranded at sea. The move allows Russian products loaded onto vessels by March 12 to be shipped within the next month and is aimed at boosting supply to keep market prices low amid what Bessent described as "threat and instability posed by the terrorist Iranian regime." "This single easing by the US could provide Russia with around $10 billion for the war. It certainly does not help peace," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a joint press conference on March 13 with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. SEE ALSO: Hegseth Appoints Investigating Officer To Look Into Missile Strike On Girls' School As oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel amid reports of attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf -- which handles around one-fifth of global oil transport -- and the closure of key oil terminals, the Kremlin welcomed the US decision. Previously critical of US military activities in Iran, including the killing of longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Kremlin now says its own interests are "situationally aligned" with Washington's. Chart: Russian Oil Gets More Expensive "The situation is fraught with the risk of a growing crisis in the global energy sector.... Without significant volumes of Russian oil, market stabilization ‌is impossible," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on March 1...