US Announces Fresh 30-Day Sanctions Waiver on Russian Seaborne Oil to ‘Vulnerable Nations’

Following Bessent’s announcement, a pair of Democratic senators criticized the move as an ‘indefensible gift’ to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the White House on April 15, 2026. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on May 18 another 30-day sanctions waiver allowing the purchase of Russian seaborne oil to aid “energy-vulnerable” countries hit by the Iran war.

“This extension will provide additional flexibility, and we will work with these nations to provide specific licenses as needed,” Bessent wrote in a May 18 post on X.