The lifting of U.S. sanctions has allowed Russia to profit from prolonging the war – Zelenskyy
On March 22, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the easing of international sanctions had allowed Russia to increase its crude oil sales to finance its armed aggression.
According to the head of state, the profits generated give Moscow a sense of impunity and the resources to continue its massive attacks. In the past week alone, the enemy launched nearly 1,550 attack drones and over 1,260 guided bombs at Ukrainian cities, demonstrating a direct link between oil revenues and the intensity of the terror.
Zelenskyy emphasized the need to block Russian tankers that fund the military budget and should not feel safe in European or any other waters. The President called on world leaders to take decisive action against Russia’s shadow fleet, as effective economic pressure is a key tool for achieving a just peace. The situation on the energy market remains critical, as proceeds from raw material exports allow the aggressor to maintain a high intensity of hostilities in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.
The United States has authorized the delivery and sale of Russian oil that, as of March 12, 2026, had already been loaded onto tankers at sea.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury removed two Russian citizens, as well as a number of foreign individuals and a company, from the sanctions lists.
