The Trump administration has sanctioned Russian private oil giant Lukoil, a move that exposes the European Union’s internal divisions and “exemptions” for Hungary and Slovakia.
While the US and UK have now sanctioned both Rosneft and Lukoil, the EU has only sanctioned the state-owned Rosneft. The bloc has provided carve-outs for Lukoil’s oil, which is supplied via pipeline to Central European refineries.
The new US sanctions, the first of the new Trump term, aim to cut off all revenue from Russia’s top two oil producers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action was necessary due to Putin’s “refusal to end this senseless war.”
Despite the difference on Lukoil, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the US action as a “clear signal” of transatlantic unity. The EU is also preparing its 19th sanctions package, which will target Russian LNG.
The sanctions were paired with President Trump’s cancellation of a planned summit with Vladimir Putin, a move that signals a significant hardening of Washington’s stance against the Kremlin.
US Sanctions Lukoil, Exposing EU ‘Exemptions’ for Hungary
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