Joe Biden, who has been in office for the last few weeks as US President, is considering introducing tough new sanctions aimed at the Russian energy sector.
The Washington Post reports this, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Sanctions against Russia: what is known
According to the publication's anonymous sources, the Biden administration is considering steps that could include:
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- restrictions on the shadow fleet of ships transporting Russian oil;
- sanctions against Russian oil exporters that had previously avoided restrictions;
- cancellation of licenses allowing banks to process Russian energy transactions.
Experts believe that if implemented, these measures will strengthen Biden's position on uniting Western allies against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The current president also seeks to hand over a strong economy to Trump.
The Biden administration's position
Columbia University global energy expert Edward Fishman noted that the White House had previously avoided such restrictions due to the risks of rising oil and gas prices. However, after the elections, when inflation stabilized, these reasons lost their relevance.
A senior Biden administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the introduction of sanctions is necessary to ensure that Ukraine has the best possible position to defend itself against Russian armed aggression and during negotiations.
Earlier, Bloomberg wrote that the United States is planning new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia. The restrictions are aimed at undermining the Russian military-industrial complex.
