In a surprising move, US President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday issued a month-long sanctions waiver allowing the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products already at sea.
The license, issued by the Treasury Department, came just two days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not renew the waiver.
The Treasury Department posted the license to its website late on Friday, allowing countries to purchase Russian oil loaded on vessels as of Friday through May 16.
It extends an earlier easing of sanctions that expired on April 11.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the apparent reversal.