U.S. Prepares New Energy Sanctions on Russia If Putin Rejects Ukraine Peace Deal

The United States is preparing a new round of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector as a contingency measure if President Vladimir Putin refuses to accept a peace agreement with Ukraine.

The Gaze reports this, referring to Bloomberg.

The measures under consideration would aim to tighten pressure on Moscow’s oil revenues by expanding restrictions on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to export crude, as well as on trading firms that facilitate those shipments, the officials said. The deliberations are ongoing and remain confidential.

Some of the proposed sanctions could be announced as early as this week, depending on the direction of negotiations and a final decision by President Donald Trump, the officials said.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlined the potential steps during meetings with European ambassadors in Washington. Following the discussions, Bessent wrote on social media that the Trump administration remains focused on ending the war in Ukraine.

“President Trump is a president of peace,” Bessent said. “Under his leadership, America will continue to prioritize bringing the war in Ukraine to an end.”

Officials cautioned that while preparations are underway, any final authorization rests solely with the White House. The U.S. Treasury Department declined to comment outside regular business hours.

The United States has already sanctioned major Russian energy producers and, together with other Group of Seven nations, hundreds of vessels involved in transporting Russian oil. 

European leaders are expected to decide later this week whether to further leverage frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s military and economic needs – a prospect Moscow has strongly condemned.

As The Gaze reported earlier, negotiations between the Ukrainian and U.S. delegations were held in Germany, beginning on Sunday and continuing through Monday. The talks included three to four rounds, some of which took place behind the scenes. Western politicians have described recent discussions as constructive, particularly on proposals for the U.S.-backed security guarantees intended to deter future Russian aggression. 

Read also on The Gaze: Why Donald Trump is Interested in a Quick, Not Quality, Completion of the War in Ukraine