The administration of US President Donald Trump has made an unexpected decision: to postpone the introduction of sanctions against Lukoil’s network of gas stations outside Russia. This was announced by the US Treasury Department, noting that the measure is aimed at minimizing damage to consumers and suppliers. This was one of the first easing measures in the tough sanctions policy against Russian energy giants introduced in October.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the exemption applies only to retail operations at gas stations: fuel purchases, customer payments, and day-to-day activities. This will allow stations to continue operating without the risk of secondary sanctions for partners. “We seek to mitigate the harm to ordinary transactions between consumers and suppliers,” the document emphasizes.
However, this does not mean that restrictions have been completely lifted. The main sanctions against Lukoil remain in place: the company cannot trade oil directly with the US, and its export revenues are still under pressure. According to United24 Media, Lukoil is already in talks with ExxonMobil, Chevron, and investors from the Middle East about selling assets. In Iraq, where the company has a stake in the West Qurna-2 field (14 billion barrels of reserves), the authorities have invited American firms to bid.
The decision comes amid active diplomatic maneuvering. This week, White House representatives, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, held a five-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. They discussed the “Washington plan” to end the conflict in Ukraine. The EU’s high representative for foreign policy had previously expressed concern that Moscow was using such initiatives to delay sanctions.
The delay may be a sign of willingness to compromise. As experts note, this is a “rare move to put pressure on Moscow,” but with elements of pragmatism: Trump does not want to exacerbate the global energy crisis, especially against the backdrop of falling oil prices and a 34% decline in Russia’s revenues in November due to sanctions and market factors.
The postponement of sanctions against Lukoil gas stations is not just a technical measure, but an indicator of shifts in US-Russian relations. Amid ongoing negotiations on Ukraine, it demonstrates a balance between principles and pragmatism. While the stations continue to operate until April 2026, the world watches to see whether this will be the beginning of a broader easing or a temporary pause before new restrictions.