The United States government is studying the way of softening sanctions to the Russian energy sector as part of a wide plan for Washington to offer rapid relief if Moscow agrees to end the Ukraine War, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Reuters had reported this week that the United States was preparing plans to potentially lift the Russian sanctions to certain entities and people, but it was not clear at that time if the initiative would include the huge Russian oil and gas industry.
Russia is one of the world’s greatest producers in the world, and the United States has tried to deprive it of the money it needs for war imposing sanctions on this sector and leading a multilateral initiative to limit the price of Russian crude oil exports to 60 dollars the barrel.
The White House has asked the Treasury Department to explore options to relieve energy sanctions before the expected conversations between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, the two sources said, speaking under condition of anonymity.
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This work would allow Washington to reverse the sanctions quickly in case of a peace agreement, according to the sources, which clarified that the effort should not be read as an indication that the United States would raise sanctions without Russian concessions.
Trump said he plans to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks to negotiate an agreement to end the Ukraine War, which has been three years, and analysts say that relaxing the sanctions represents a probable central piece of any agreement.
On Friday, Trump also raised the possibility of imposing more American sanctions on Russia and asked both countries to get to work to negotiate a peace agreement.
Trump’s threat occurred after the Russian army attacked Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructures during the night. The attack was the first since the United States pauses the aid and the intelligence market with Ukraine.
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The National Security Council of the White House and the Treasury did not respond to requests for comments.
With EFE information
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