Russia is reveling in the Trump administration’s decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Russian oil at sea, a move Moscow hopes will lead to further relief from penalties that had only recently begun to bite deep. For Russia, it’s a break from restrictions that were imposed to reduce the Kremlin’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine. The decision, which analysts say could affect some 128 million barrels of oil, risks undermining four years of sanctions aimed at curbing Moscow’s war effort. Now, economists say, Russia won’t have to mark down the oil that was loaded onto tankers before Thursday to sell it. The European Union imposed a price cap on Russian oil in December 2022.

Source: Washington Post March 15, 2026 11:14 UTC