US proposes lifting sanctions on shadow fleet and unfreezing Russia’s assets

Washington is considering easing sanctions against shadow fleet tankers and has proposed that Europe unfreeze part of Russia’s frozen assets.

This was reported by Reuters, The New York Post, and the Financial Times.

According to Reuters, citing an American official, the US is considering easing sanctions against shadow fleet tankers carrying oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. The authorities want to allow these vessels to be used to transport “legal oil” — crude and petroleum products not subject to US sanctions. To do so, shipping companies would need to obtain permits from the US Treasury Department. The stated goal of the move is to reduce record-high maritime shipping costs.

Reuters also notes that the decision may be driven by President Donald Trump’s desire to bring Russian diesel fuel to global markets more quickly. According to sources cited by The New York Post, the first shipments of Russian diesel to the US could take place within the next two weeks — before the midterm congressional elections scheduled for November 3. One of the newspaper’s sources said Russia has agreed to supply a substantial volume of fuel.

Separately, the Financial Times reports on another initiative from the American side: Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, at talks in Miami last Friday, proposed to European representatives and the Ukrainian delegation that part of Russia’s frozen assets be unfrozen and placed under Washington’s control. The Americans presented several options for the use of the frozen funds, including transferring them to a special financial structure managed by the US. Washington views this step as part of a possible peace agreement and a way to restart negotiations with Moscow.

European representatives rejected the initiative — they refused to hand control of the assets to the American side and opposed returning any portion of the funds to Russia.

“They were told that this simply will not happen,” one Financial Times source said.

The editors previously wrote in greater detail about the Trump team’s peace proposals in a separate article.