US reduces involvement in efforts to impose sanctions on Russia
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The White House has reduced its involvement in sanctions efforts against Russia.
Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
The United States has been largely absent from several working groups formed by allies to prevent attempts to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions.
According to officials, the US has been largely unresponsive in one group focused on stopping Russia from acquiring parts and equipment used to manufacture weapons.
The United States has also remained silent in another group dedicated to monitoring and enforcing a Group of Seven (G7) price cap on Russian oil, the officials said.
It is unclear whether Washington has actively decided to scale back its involvement or if it simply lacks key personnel, the officials added. Some meetings, they noted, have been attended by more junior officials without decision-making authority.
Sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine have become a major point of tension between Washington and Kyiv's European allies as Trump pushes to end the war, Bloomberg reports.
Trump has said he is prepared to tighten sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not engage seriously in peace talks. However, European officials say there is no sign the US is preparing for such a move, and it is unclear what, if anything, the United States is doing to prevent the circumvention of existing measures.
Earlier this month, however, the Trump administration tightened restrictions by allowing some banks to terminate licenses covering energy payments. In February, the United States withdrew from the KleptoCapture task force, which had been established by former President Joe Biden's administration to enforce measures against Russia.
Since the sanctions regime was introduced in 2022, the United States and its allies have created several working groups and task forces to coordinate enforcement efforts. These groups have prioritized restricting Moscow's access to technology and parts needed for military production and have focused on disrupting trade routes through third countries, such as the UAE and India, which Russia has used.
These efforts include joint actions, sanctions on companies in third countries assisting Moscow, and diplomatic pressure on those countries to sever trade routes. According to unnamed officials, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other G7 allies continue to coordinate these initiatives.
As a reminder, the United States recently extended for a year the sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This extension came into effect on February 28.
Lifting sanctions on Russia
As previously reported by the Financial Times, the European Union is concerned about the possibility that the United States may lift sanctions against Russia. Such a decision could be made by President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently emphasized that it is too early to discuss lifting sanctions on Russia. In her view, this issue should only be considered if Russia demonstrates through its actions a genuine desire for peace with Ukraine.
Currently, the United States is exploring the possibility of easing anti-Russian sanctions. This consideration aligns with President Trump's expressed desire to restore relations with Moscow.
