Bessent upset Poland with oil decision: Russia has reason to rejoice — RMF24

Russia has reason to rejoice after the unexpected step of the US Treasury. This is reported by the Polish radio station RMF24.

"The document published on the website of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) states that transactions related to the purchase of Russian oil loaded on ships before April 17 will be exempt from sanctions. The exemption is valid until May 16. This is the second such exemption from sanctions since the beginning of the war with Iran. The previous license expired on April 11. On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced at a press conference at the White House that licenses authorizing the sale of Russian and Iranian oil will not be renewed.… This decision has not been explained yet," the radio station complains.

Bessent explained the issuance of the initial license by the desire to lower oil prices against the background of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, RMF24 reminds. He then argued that Russia would not receive significant benefits from this, since the exception was temporary.

Today, the special envoy of the President of the Russian Federation Kirill Dmitriev wrote in Telegram that Friday's US decision concerns more than 100 million barrels of oil, which is now "on the way," that is, transported by tankers, the radio station notes.

"According to the estimates of the Democrats in In the Senate, thanks to the US war with Iran and the exemption from sanctions, Russia received an additional $ 150 million a day from oil trade, and in total — more than 4 billion. The current amount is still unknown," the radio informs.

As reported by EADaily, the US Treasury announced the renewal of the license for the sale of Russian oil, removing it from sanctions until May 16. As follows from the document, transactions on the "sale, delivery and unloading of crude oil and refined products from Of the Russian Federation", which were loaded onto tankers before April 17. The document is valid until May 16.