The US has scaled back its participation in the fight against sanctions evasion linked to Russia, according to European officials.
Bloomberg reports that these claims come from unnamed European sources who assert that the Donald Trump administration reduced its role in efforts aimed at enforcing sanctions on Russia.
Officials explained that the US has been almost entirely absent from several key working groups set up by its allies to address attempts to bypass sanctions on the Kremlin. One group, focused on preventing Russia from obtaining critical components for weapons production, has reportedly seen little to no response from the US. Another group, which oversees the enforcement of the “Group of Seven” price cap on Russian oil, is also lacking US involvement.
It remains unclear whether the reduction in participation was a deliberate decision by the US or a result of staffing shortages, the officials noted. Some meetings were attended by junior US officials with limited authority, they added.
The sanctions against Russia, imposed in response to its invasion of Ukraine, have been a source of tension between Washington and its European allies. President Donald Trump has maintained his position on pushing for an end to the conflict, but he has also stated that he is prepared to intensify sanctions if Russia fails to engage seriously in peace talks. However, European officials have indicated that there have been few signs of such an escalation, and the US’s actions to combat evasion of existing sanctions remain unclear.
In a move earlier this month, the Trump administration tightened restrictions, allowing banks to revoke licenses for making payments for energy commodities. Additionally, in February, the US withdrew from the KleptoCapture working group, established by the Biden administration to enforce sanctions against Russia.
Following the implementation of sanctions in 2022, the US and its allies set up numerous working groups to coordinate enforcement. These groups prioritize limiting Moscow’s access to technologies and components necessary for its military capabilities, with particular attention to cutting off trade routes through third countries like the United Arab Emirates and India, which Russia has been using.
The UK, European Union, and other G7 nations continue to coordinate efforts to close these loopholes, according to the officials.
