Zelensky criticized the US decision to extend the period during which Russia is permitted to sell oil despite Western sanctions — the extension allows countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products already loaded on vessels at sea until 16 May, according to the BBC.

US Justification for the Extension

The US has argued that the waiver is intended to alleviate the energy supply crisis caused by the war between the US and Israel with Iran. This rationale, however, has drawn sharp criticism from Zelensky and his allies in Europe.

In remarks on Sunday, Zelensky said, ‘Every dollar paid for Russian oil is money for the war in Ukraine,’ according to the BBC — Since February 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, widespread sanctions have been imposed on Russia.

The recent conflict between the US and Israel with Iran has led to retaliatory actions from Iran, targeting not only Israel and US military bases in the Gulf but also energy facilities and other civilian sites across Arab allies of the US in the region, according to the BBC.

Impact on Global Energy Markets

Iran has nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually flows. This has caused significant turmoil in energy markets, with fears that a world recession could follow if the strait is not reopened soon, according to the BBC.

The US decision to ease Russian sanctions on 13 March was widely condemned by Zelensky and his European allies. On Friday. The US extended the waiver. Stating it wanted ‘to ensure oil is available to those who need it’ as negotiations to end the war ‘accelerate,’ according to the BBC.

Zelensky highlighted that Russia has more than 110 tankers from its ‘shadow fleet’—vessels with obscured ownership designed to help it bypass sanctions—with ‘over 12 million tons’ of oil, according to the BBC. The sale of this oil, he claimed, would bring $10bn (£7.4bn) to Moscow’s coffers as ‘a resource that is directly converted into new strikes against Ukraine.’

Zelensky did not explain what those figures were based on. However, he added that just over the past week, Russia had launched ‘over 2,360 attack drones, more than 1,320 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 60 missiles of various types at our cities and communities,’ according to the BBC.

Stalemate in the War

Despite the ongoing attacks, a stalemate has been reached in the war in Ukraine, with Russia in control of about 20% of Ukrainian territory, according to the BBC. Efforts led by the US to end the war have been put on hold as a result of the war in Iran.

Ukraine has also launched attacks on Russia, particularly targeting energy facilities. However, the conflict remains frozen in place, with neither side gaining significant ground, according to the BBC.

Zelensky’s condemnation of the US extension of the Russian sanctions waiver highlights the growing tensions between the US and Ukraine over the handling of the war in Ukraine and the broader international response to the conflict, according to the BBC.

The extension of the waiver has been seen as a concession to the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East, but it has been met with strong opposition from Ukraine and its allies, who argue that it indirectly supports the Russian war effort, according to the BBC.

As the war in Ukraine continues, the international community remains divided on how to balance the need for energy security with the imperative to hold Russia accountable for its actions, according to the BBC.