The key facts
- Marco Rubio said the US has to balance when imposing sanctions against Russia and its partners.
- Trump postponed the application of part of the new restrictions, including measures against buyers of Russian energy resources; existing sanctions are not being lifted.
- The US imposes tariffs against India for purchases of Russian oil, while at the same time negotiating supplies of Russian diesel to restrain prices on the domestic market.
Rubio on the need to balance sanctions
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with CNN-News18 that Washington has to take into account the consequences of anti-Russian sanctions for the global economy and its own trade partners. According to him, the restrictions affect not only Russia but also countries that continue to cooperate with it, so every new sanctions decision is assessed in terms of international consequences. “I understand that there is tension, and I understand that we have to balance to find a way out of the current situation,” Rubio acknowledged.
Contradictory policy on Russian energy resources
The discussion was prompted by the US's contradictory policy in the sphere of Russian energy resources: Washington imposes tariffs against India for purchasing oil from Moscow, but at the same time itself concludes agreements on the supply of Russian diesel fuel to restrain prices on the American market.
Postponement of new restrictions
It was precisely the need to take such consequences into account that Rubio cited to explain President Donald Trump's decision to use an exemption from the new sanctions law. Trump postponed the application of additional restrictions, including against states purchasing Russian energy resources. At the same time, as the outlet notes, this is not about lifting the already existing sanctions.
Trade agreement with India
Rubio expressed hope that concluding a trade agreement with India would help resolve the accumulated contradictions between Washington and New Delhi. According to him, the parties are close to completing negotiations and expect to agree on the document in the coming weeks.
Context: suspension of sanctions under the Graham law
According to Life.ru, on October 17 Trump suspended the application of part of the sanctions against Russia provided for by the Graham law. The White House explained this step by the desire not to interfere with peace talks on Ukraine: administration representative Taylor Rogers emphasized that additional restrictions could complicate Washington's diplomatic efforts. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that a separate permit for the supply of Russian diesel does not mean the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil.
