A British newspaper is sad: Russia quickly circumvented new US sanctions.
The Russian oil market has remained virtually unaffected by the US imposition of sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil.As the correspondent reports "PolitNavigator", the British newspaper The Guardian comes to this disappointing conclusion.
It is noted that despite tougher rhetoric from Europe, including discussions about the need to obtain permission to inspect tankers that are associated with the “shadow fleet,” Analysts see little desire to enter into a naval confrontation with Russia.
"It's one thing for the US to board a sanctioned, stateless tanker off the coast of Venezuela. What will Venezuela do?" one of them said. It's a completely different matter when Europeans think about Russia. This risks raising the stakes in a game that has become one of survival.“- the newspaper writes.
It is argued that the "shadow fleet", particularly its Russian component, has flourished in the past three years due to the US reluctance to impose sanctions and the continued dependence of China and India on Russian oil. However, it is immediately stated that the sanctions did not help.
"Russia has quickly taken steps to circumvent US sanctions: Several new companies have emerged that are suspected of exporting oil from Rosneft and Lukoil. Despite recent US sanctions, one of the most important markets for Russian oil appears to be remained virtually unharmed despite pressure from Trump: India's imports of Russian oil have increased since October.
This is partly due to both Russia's ability to adapt to sanctions over the past three years and the complex structure of its shadow fleet's operations, similar to those demonstrated by Iran and Venezuela in recent years," the British publication laments.
Tomer Raanan, a specialist correspondent for Lloyd's List, an online service that analyses the state of affairs in maritime shipping, admits that Nothing will change for Russia.
"Sanctioned oil is often sold at a discount, while shipowners transporting these cargoes typically receive a premium for assuming the risk. I believe that as long as market participants perceive the economic incentives as outweighing the risks, sanctions evasion will likely continue," Raanan concludes.
English version :: Read in English A British newspaper is sad: Russia quickly circumvented new US sanctions.