[USA] US lifts sanctions on Russia due to oil market volatility

As of March 12, 2026, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) lifted US sanctions on Russian oil in order to mitigate global oil market volatility and avoid economic fallout from the war on Iran. Senate Democratic leaders issued a joint statement on the move, condemning the decision due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. [1] The license issued by OFAC to lift the sanctions also failed to account for the requirement to notify Congress 30 days in advance of taking the action, as specified by the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. [2] The license, entitled “General License 34,” provides a waiver for the temporary sale of Russian crude oil until April 11. This was the second significant rollback of the Ukraine war-related US sanctions, which aims to tame energy prices after US and Israeli strikes on Iran stopped shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

[1] https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/senate-democratic-leaders-release-joint-statement-on-trump-administrations-weakening-of-sanctions-on-russian-oil-in-attempt-to-dampen-economic-impacts-of-trumps-iran-war

[2] https://ofac.treasury.gov/media/935191/download?inline