European countries have pushed back against Donald Trump’s decision to ease some US sanctions on Russian oil amid Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, insisting the international community should maintain pressure on Moscow over its war against Ukraine.
The UK has joined Germany, France and Norway in rejecting the move, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper decrying what she said was Russia and Iran’s attempt to “hijack the global economy”. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described Washington’s move to temporarily waive sanctions on Russian oil stranded at sea as “wrong”, as the Trump administration attempted to counter a surge in oil prices.
Merz said: “We believe it is wrong to ease the sanctions. Unfortunately, Russia continues to show no willingness to negotiate. We will therefore, and must, further increase the pressure on Moscow.” The chancellor insisted that support for Ukraine should continue despite the conflict in the Middle East.
The decision came as US and Israeli jets continued to pound Iran and Lebanon in a deepening regional conflagration that has choked global oil supplies. The Middle East conflict has all but closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and seaborne gas tankers pass.
Trump admitted for the first time that Russia had been assisting Iran during the conflict, saying in an interview: “He might be helping a little bit, yeah, I guess.” He added that American forces would continue to strike Iranian targets in the coming days. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the war in the Gulf was “not good for Ukraine”.
Brent crude remained above $100 a barrel despite the US waiver, which allowed Indian refiners to temporarily buy Russian oil for 30 days. Analysts said tankers carrying Russian oil were being immediately rerouted to India.
