Sanctions imposed by the US on Russian oil companies could backfire on Washington, the Financial Times reports.
“If oil prices rise significantly, any losses Russia suffers from sanctions will be offset by the price increase. But if prices rise too much, Russians will win and US consumers and our allies will lose”, Amos Hochstein, managing partner of investment company TWG Global, told the publication.
In the current situation on the oil market, the US administration will have to limit the rise in fuel prices – a key indicator of the success of President Donald Trump's policy to combat inflation, he noted.
According to oil industry expert Scott Sheffield, the White House has decided not to escalate the Ukrainian conflict by supplying Tomahawk missiles, choosing a "less risky" option in the form of new restrictions against Moscow.
On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department included "Rosneft", "Lukoil" and 34 subsidiaries of these companies in a new package of sanctions.
According to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the new sanctions of the US Treasury Department against Russian companies "Rosneft" and "Lukoil" will not cause problems for Russia, which has developed a strong immunity to such restrictions.
However, she added that they send a counterproductive signal, including with regard to the Ukrainian settlement.