The United States has minimized its involvement in monitoring Russiaʼs compliance with Western sanctions.
Bloomberg reports this, citing sources.
Washington has largely withdrawn from several working groups set up by Western countries to prevent Moscow from circumventing sanctions. For example, the US has been largely absent from the group that blocks Russians from obtaining parts and equipment used to produce weapons. It has also withdrawn from the monitoring group that monitors compliance with the oil price ceiling.
Bloomberg’s interlocutors noted that they did not understand whether the United States deliberately decided to reduce its participation in the working groups or whether it was due to a lack of necessary specialists in Washington. Some meetings of these groups were attended by less senior US representatives with little authority, the sources said.
The new White House administration has also reduced its participation in programs related to the prosecution of war crimes in Ukraine. In particular, Western media reported that the United States would withdraw from the group investigating Russiaʼs aggression against Ukraine.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the United States and other Western countries have established working groups to coordinate efforts to enforce sanctions against Russia. Their priority is to limit Moscow’s access to technology and spare parts needed to produce military goods and to prevent Russia from evading sanctions through third countries.
This work includes joint measures, sanctions against companies in third countries that are believed to be helping Moscow circumvent sanctions, and diplomatic pressure on these countries.
- Bloomberg, citing sources, wrote that the US will not lift sanctions against Russia unless there is a noticeable change in Moscowʼs behavior. Perhaps some of them will be eased if the Russians begin to take the measures the US seeks.
- Reuters later reported that the White House was looking at options for a possible easing of sanctions against Russia. Sanctions agencies are preparing a proposal to lift sanctions on individual entities and individuals, including a number of Russian oligarchs.
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