The Trump administration has renewed a temporary waiver allowing countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products already loaded at sea, extending the exemption from April 17 to May 16.
The U.S. Treasury Department published the authorization on its official website, replacing a previous 30-day waiver that expired on April 11. The move excludes any transactions involving Iran, Cuba, or North Korea.
The decision comes as Asian nations facing severe energy shocks pressured Washington to allow alternative supplies to reach global markets amid rising energy prices.
A Treasury spokesperson told dzwatch: ‘As negotiations accelerate, the Treasury wants to ensure oil is available for those who need it.’
Russian President Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev stated exclusively that the extended waiver would unlock an additional 100 million barrels of Russian oil, bringing the total covered under exemptions to 200 million barrels. He added that sanctions on Russia are ‘ineffective and destructive,’ noting the extension is causing concern within the EU and UK.
