A group of Democratic senators called on the administration of US President Donald Trump on Friday, April 10, to allow a sanctions waiver for Russian oil to expire, arguing the policy has failed to lower global energy prices and instead fuels Moscow’s “war machine.”
In a letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the six senators – Richard Blumenthal, Jeanne Shaheen, Sheldon Whitehouse, Christopher Coons, Jacky Rosen, and Mark Kelly – strongly urged the Department not to extend the license permitting certain transactions involving Russian oil.
“The stated justification for this policy – stabilizing global energy markets in the wake of the war in Iran – has not borne out in practice,” the senators wrote. “Oil prices have not meaningfully declined, calling into question whether the waiver is achieving its intended purpose while clearly enabling an adversary.”
Senator Blumenthal was even more blunt in a separate statement, asserting that the waiver has handed Russia an extra $150 billion to fuel its “murderous war machine” responsible for killing and kidnapping Ukrainian children, while Moscow provides Iran with intelligence to target US troops.
The senators also criticized a similar 30-day waiver allowing the sale of Iranian oil, which is set to expire on April 19, 2026. They emphasized that continuing to ease sanctions while Russia provides Iran with valuable intelligence puts US troops and assets at “lethal risk.”
“We urge the Department to allow this license to expire and to reaffirm a clear, consistent commitment to holding Russia accountable,” the letter concluded.
The diplomatic push comes as Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, have previously described any easing of sanctions as a “manifestation of weakness.” Kyiv has grown increasingly concerned that Russia is exploiting the Middle East crisis to bolster its war chest, even as US-led peace talks remain delayed due to the conflict with Iran.
The Treasury Department has not yet indicated whether it will heed the senators’ call or extend the relief to prevent further spikes in energy costs, which have remained volatile since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.