US pulling back from sanctions enforcement against Russia – EU
The White House has scaled back its involvement in enforcing sanctions against Russia, as Washington continues to seek an end to the Ukraine conflict, according to anonymous EU officials cited by Bloomberg.
Washington and Brussels have imposed numerous sanctions against Russia since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 in a bid to isolate the country. They include a ban on Russia’s seaborne oil shipments, cutting the country off from the Western financial system, freezing its foreign reserves, and many other restrictions.
However, since President Donald Trump assumed office, the US has been largely absent from several working groups established to combat Moscow’s attempts to evade sanctions, the officials told the outlet.
They said the US has been mostly “unresponsive” in a working group aimed at preventing Russia from acquiring parts and equipment used in weapons production, according to the article. Washington has also reportedly gone quiet in another group focused on monitoring and enforcing the G7’s $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil sales.
The officials told Bloomberg it’s unclear whether Washington has intentionally scaled back its involvement or is simply facing a shortage of key personnel. They noted that some meetings have been attended by more junior representatives with limited authority to make decisions.
Trump has repeatedly stated that the US could amp up sanctions against Russia if negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict fail. Echoing his remarks earlier this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated: “We will be able to get [Moscow] to the table without increasing the sanctions, but all options are on the table.”
However, EU officials said there’s been little indication of any preparations for toughening the sanctions, and it remains unclear what actions, if any, the US is taking to address the evasion of existing measures, according to Bloomberg.
Moscow has repeatedly slammed the Western restrictions as illegal, and noted their failure to destabilize the Russian economy or isolate the country. Instead, they have backfired on the states that imposed them, according to the Kremlin.
President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that despite foreign pressure, the national economy has become more resilient and continues to grow.
Addressing a meeting of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) in Moscow, the president accused the West of using the Ukraine conflict as a pretext to eliminate Russia as a competitor.
