Russian Oil Waiver Extended After Requests From Vulnerable Nations: Bessent

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that the United States extended a sanctions exemption on Russian oil sales after receiving requests from more than 10 vulnerable and low-income countries facing acute energy pressures.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Bessent said the appeal was made during the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings , where several developing nations warned of worsening energy insecurity, fuel shortages, and price shocks linked to global market volatility.

He said the US administration had initially intended not to extend the waiver, which allows limited Russian oil transactions despite sanctions. However, following direct appeals from delegations representing energy-import dependent countries, Washington agreed to a further temporary extension of the relief measure .

The Treasury Department had earlier issued a 30-day sanctions waiver , even after signalling that no further exemptions would be granted. Subsequent adjustments extended the arrangement further, with reports indicating validity until around mid-May , depending on shipment timing and compliance conditions.

The waiver applies mainly to Russian crude already loaded onto tankers before the cutoff date , allowing those shipments to be completed without triggering sanctions enforcement. Officials said the move was aimed at preventing sudden disruptions in global supply chains.

Bessent said representatives of more than 10 of the “most vulnerable and poorest countries” explicitly urged the US to continue the exemption, citing risks of inflation and energy shortages if supplies tightened abruptly.

Earlier, the US had granted a similar short-term waiver for India beginning March 5, followed by comparable exemptions for several other countries, which expired on April 11 before the latest extension was introduced.

The decision reflects Washington’s effort to balance sanctions pressure on Russia with concerns over global energy market stability .