The Donald Trump administration is considering imposing additional sanctions on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers if Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by Friday, August 8.

As Censor.NET reports , the Financial Times writes about this .

Two people familiar with the White House discussions told the FT that additional US sanctions on the “shadow fleet” were being seen as an easy first step to punish Russia for failing to meet the ultimatum. A third person close to the administration said it was considering a range of options, including sanctions on the fleet.

The blacklisting of the “shadow fleet” ships will be the first time the US has imposed sanctions on Moscow since Trump returned to the White House in January.

Russia uses a shadowy fleet of mostly old tankers to transport oil around the world, trying to evade Western restrictions imposed after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Revenue from oil exports helps finance the war.

The previous administration under Joe Biden had previously added 213 tankers carrying oil, chemicals or petroleum products to the sanctions list. Trump has refrained from imposing additional sanctions on Russia, seeking to reach a negotiated settlement to end the war.

However, he is increasingly frustrated by Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine and has given the Russian dictator an ultimatum: change course by August 8 or face tougher sanctions.

“Trump is increasingly frustrated with his Russian counterpart, and people close to the administration have said Moscow will pay a price if it does not come to the negotiating table,” the FT writes.

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to visit Moscow this week.

Trump will likely decide what potential sanctions to impose on Moscow when his envoy returns, a source close to the administration told the publication.

“It depends on what Witkoff brings with him,” the source said. “If Witkoff comes back empty-handed, with absolutely nothing, Trump will be furious.”

Other options for the administration include more stringent enforcement of existing sanctions or joining a new dynamic system of price caps on Russian oil, which is set to take effect in early September, experts said.

Washington could also impose secondary sanctions against banks and refineries in other countries that facilitate the trade in Russian oil.

“There is now incredible latitude to impose tough oil sanctions against Russia,” the publication added.

Author:  Valeria Sushkova Джерело: https://censor.net/ua/n3567181

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