US Senators Urge Trump Not to Extend Russian Oil Sanctions Waiver After Iran Ceasefire

Two Democratic senators have urged US President Donald Trump not to extend exemptions from American sanctions that allow countries to continue purchasing Russian oil, arguing that the justification for the measure no longer exists now that the conflict with Iran has ended.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Elizabeth Warren said the sanctions waiver has effectively enabled Russia to continue financing what they described as its “illegal war” in Ukraine.

The US first introduced the exemption in March to allow India to continue importing Russian oil as crude prices surged following the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28. Washington later expanded the waiver to other countries.

Initially granted for one month, the exemption has already been extended twice and is set to expire on June 17.

“Extending this license yet again would give Vladimir Putin another opportunity to reap windfall financial gains while he continues his brutal war against Ukraine,” the senators said.

Shaheen and Warren argued that extending the waiver would undermine Trump’s own position that the conflict with Iran is over and contradict the administration’s earlier rationale that the measure was intended to limit energy market disruptions caused by the war.

Shaheen, who represents New Hampshire, and Warren of Massachusetts serve as ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee respectively.

The senators also criticised the broader economic impact of the administration’s energy policy, saying efforts to contain market volatility had failed and left Americans facing higher fuel and grocery prices.

“If the administration renews this license now, it will be the clearest sign yet that President Trump either does not believe his own deal will hold or simply will refuse to ever confront Putin, even after more than four years of conflict and countless innocent lives taken,” they said.

According to the lawmakers, repeated extensions have disproportionately benefited Moscow while Ukraine continues fighting for its sovereignty and security.

They added that every additional dollar earned through continued Russian oil sales strengthens the Kremlin’s ability to sustain the war.

“We hope President Trump understands what is plain to see: Ukraine is winning, and if President Trump is interested in a peace deal, he should be increasing pressure on Putin to accept a just and lasting peace, not handing him more sanctions relief.

"Continuing to show weakness like this will only invite more aggression and put an end to the war further out of reach,” Shaheen and Warren said.

(with PTI inputs)