US Grants 30-Day Sanctions Waiver for Russian Oil Amid Persian Gulf Crisis

The United States Treasury Department issued a 30-day waiver exempting purchases of Russian oil loaded on tankers from existing sanctions, a move Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on March 12, 2026, as part of an effort to stabilize global energy markets disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East. The waiver covers deliveries of Russian oil already loaded on tankers as of that date, allowing buyers to complete those transactions without triggering US sanctions penalties. The decision drew immediate condemnation from Ukraine and European allies, while simultaneously exposing a public rift within the Italian government. The International Energy Agency described the Middle East conflict as having created the biggest oil supply disruption in history, providing the backdrop for Washington's rationale.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Lega leader Matteo Salvini publicly endorsed the Trump administration's decision, arguing that Italy and the European Union should adopt a similarly pragmatic approach. „Trump ha fatto bene sul petrolio russo, Italia e UE dovrebbero essere pragmatiche” (Trump did well on Russian oil, Italy and EU should be pragmatic) — Matteo Salvini via Adnkronos Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani directly contradicted his coalition partner, insisting that Western sanctions against Moscow must remain in place. „Le sanzioni a Mosca vanno assolutamente mantenute” (Sanctions against Moscow must absolutely be maintained) — Antonio Tajani via ANSA The public disagreement between two deputy prime ministers within the same governing coalition highlighted the political pressure the waiver has placed on European governments balancing energy concerns against solidarity with Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the US waiver would boost Russia and told Ukrainian media that Washington had sought to postpone the latest talks on a war settlement, according to Reuters. European leaders also warned the US against easing sanctions on Russia, as reported by Le Monde. Russia has reportedly sold 6 billion euros worth of fuel to Iran during the regional conflict, according to Le Parisien, making it a significant financial beneficiary of the disruption. 6 (billion euros) — Russian fuel sales to Iran during the conflict Zelensky's warning came as the broader debate over Western sanctions policy intensified, with critics arguing that any relaxation of pressure on Moscow undermines the leverage Ukraine and its allies have sought to maintain.

Western sanctions on Russian oil were introduced following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and were progressively tightened over subsequent years, including a G7 price cap mechanism on Russian crude. The sanctions regime was designed to limit Russian energy revenues while avoiding a complete shock to global oil markets. The Middle East conflict involving Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil supplies passes, creating acute pressure on energy markets that the US cited as justification for the temporary waiver. Leaders in Europe and Canada pushed back against Washington's move, according to Reuters reporting from March 13, 2026. The episode underscored the tension between short-term energy market stabilization and the long-term strategic goal of maintaining economic pressure on Russia, a tension that the Trump administration's waiver has brought into sharp relief across allied capitals. The Strait of Hormuz disruption, which the IEA called the largest oil supply shock on record, gave Washington its stated rationale, but European governments and Kyiv argued the precedent of relaxing sanctions on Russian energy sends a damaging signal at a critical moment in the war.