'This is false' — US source denies reports of new Russian oil sanctions waiver
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Reports that the United States has decided to extend its sanctions waiver on Russian seaborne oil are false, one U.S. official told the Kyiv Independent on May 18.
The statement follows reporting by Reuters, which cited a source familiar with the matter saying the U.S. Treasury had decided to once again extend the waiver after it expired on May 16.
"This is false," one U.S. official said.
Another U.S. official confirmed that as of May 18, the waiver has not been extended.
The waiver previously allowed countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels between April 15 and May 16. It replaced an earlier 30-day exemption that expired on April 11.
Senate Democrats previously said the initial waiver, combined with elevated global oil prices during the Iran war, provided Russia with roughly $150 million per day — more than $4 billion by the time the first exemption expired, according to estimates shared with the Kyiv Independent.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on April 25 that Washington did not plan another renewal of the waiver to buy Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea.
But the Trump administration had already renewed the sanctions relief once, despite earlier public statements indicating it would not do so. The previous extension came only days after Bessent had similarly said the waiver would not be renewed.
The war in the Middle East has benefited Russia, which saw increased revenues from higher energy prices and stronger demand for its oil and gas exports.
