EU Commissioner criticizes US for easing oil sanctions against Russia
Photo: Valdis Dombrovskis (Getty Images)
According to him, this step would only increase Russia’s financial gains obtained since the beginning of the war in Iran.
"From the EU point of view, we do not think that this is the time to ease pressure on Russia," the Commissioner stressed.
He also emphasized that it is the aggressor state that benefits from the war in Iran and rising fossil fuel prices.
"Correspondingly, if anything, we need to strengthen that pressure," Dombrovskis said.
What preceded this
On Monday, May 18, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington had extended a temporary 30-day general license. It will grant the most vulnerable countries access to Russian oil currently held at sea.
Bessent added that the United States is also ready to issue separate special licenses if needed.
The US Treasury believes the decision will help redirect part of the supply to the most vulnerable countries. At the same time, it will reduce China’s ability to stockpile cheap Russian oil.
RBC-Ukraine also reported that, according to Ukraine’s Presidential sanctions policy commissioner, Vladyslav Vlasyuk, during the two-month easing of sanctions, Russia could have received an additional $5 billion.
Meanwhile, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that there are currently no grounds to ease sanctions pressure on Russia, as it would only encourage its aggression.
