(BERLIN) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has publicly claimed the United States is failing to honour diplomatic proposals regarding Ukraine made during recent high level meetings in Anchorage. In a televised interview the veteran diplomat alleged Washington has abandoned the terms discussed in Alaska and is instead pursuing an aggressive strategy to dismantle the Russian energy sector. This diplomatic dispute marks a significant escalation as the Kremlin confronts what experts describe as a shift from price caps to a total reduction of Russian oil exports.
Lavrov Accuses US of Escalating Oil Pressure as Russia Faces Energy Squeeze
(WASHINGTON) – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the United States of intensifying economic and energy pressure on Moscow, saying Washington is applying tougher measures on Russian oil exports while publicly criticising previous US policies.
In a recent television interview, Lavrov said that the current US administration under President Donald Trump had adopted a harsher approach towards Russia than expected, despite political rhetoric opposing earlier policies. He claimed that Washington was using sanctions, transport restrictions and revenue limits to undermine Russia’s energy sector.
Lavrov’s comments followed talks in Anchorage, where US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives met to discuss the war in Ukraine and possible paths towards negotiations. He described the discussions as disappointing and said the United States was failing to honour its own proposals.
Western analysts say Russia is now entering a critical phase in its energy confrontation with the West, with pressure on oil exports increasing steadily. They argue that recent measures have gone beyond previous price cap systems and are now aimed at physically restricting Russia’s ability to move and sell crude oil.
Speaking on a Ukrainian television programme, host Nataliia Lutsenko discussed the situation with Dr Tom O’Donnell, an energy and geopolitical strategist at GlobalBarrel.com based in Berlin. He said that US policy had shifted significantly since the spring of 2025, when efforts to encourage Moscow through economic incentives were abandoned.
According to O’Donnell, Washington initially sought to persuade the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to reduce hostilities by offering economic cooperation and reintegration into Western markets. When this approach failed, the administration moved towards a strategy of sustained economic pressure.
He said the earlier oil price cap system had proved ineffective and was no longer central to Western policy. Instead, the United States and its allies were now working to remove Russian oil from global markets by targeting shipping networks, ports, refineries and insurance arrangements.
O’Donnell said that global oil markets were currently characterised by surplus supply, allowing Western governments to restrict Russian exports without causing major price shocks. He added that alternative producers, including Venezuela and Middle Eastern states, were being encouraged to increase output to replace lost Russian supplies.
He also said that Ukraine, with Western support, had intensified strikes against Russian refineries and export infrastructure, further limiting Moscow’s ability to process and transport crude oil.
One major focus of the campaign has been Russia’s so called shadow fleet of ageing tankers used to bypass sanctions. US authorities have increasingly seized vessels whose ownership and registration are unclear, citing international maritime law.
O’Donnell said these actions had encouraged several European countries, including France, to adopt similar enforcement measures. He added that such steps had expanded the legal and political tools available to restrict Russian oil shipments.
Russia’s land based export options remain limited. The Druzhba pipeline system, which carries oil from western Siberia to Europe, is operating at near full capacity. Rail transport is costly and inefficient over long distances, particularly to Asian markets.
A separate pipeline in eastern Siberia supplies China and nearby ports, but analysts say it is already operating at full capacity and cannot absorb additional volumes.
O’Donnell said Russia’s storage facilities and export routes were becoming increasingly congested. He estimated that floating storage of unsold Russian oil had risen by about 50 per cent in recent months.
With limited outlets, Russia has been forced to sell crude at heavy discounts, particularly to China and previously to India. Analysts say these discounts have significantly reduced Moscow’s revenues.
According to O’Donnell, India has gradually reduced its purchases under pressure from Washington, which has threatened additional trade tariffs and financial restrictions. He said New Delhi’s strong economic ties with the United States had made sustained resistance difficult.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also increased exports to Asian markets, offering competitive prices and reducing demand for Russian supplies.
As a result, Russia’s major producers, including Rosneft and Lukoil, face growing financial strain. Both companies are subject to extensive Western sanctions, limiting access to finance, equipment and insurance.
O’Donnell warned that if export bottlenecks continue, Russia may be forced to shut down ageing oil fields in western Siberia during winter months. He said rapid closures could permanently damage production capacity.
He added that further escalation could follow if negotiations on Ukraine fail. A bipartisan group of US senators has proposed legislation that would impose tariffs of up to 500 per cent on countries purchasing Russian oil, dramatically increasing the cost of trade.
The US Department of the Interior and other agencies have also prepared additional sanctions packages that could target secondary buyers and shipping networks.
Lavrov has also raised concerns about Russia’s wider economic position. Independent economists say a growing share of the national budget is being diverted to military spending, while civilian services and infrastructure face pressure.
Although Russian authorities continue to publish optimistic economic data, analysts say negative indicators are becoming harder to conceal as export revenues decline.
O’Donnell said that Russia’s heavy dependence on oil income made it especially vulnerable to sustained external pressure. He added that prolonged revenue losses could weaken Moscow’s ability to finance military operations and overseas activities.
He also noted that several former Soviet states, including Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, were strengthening economic ties with the European Union and the United States, reducing Russia’s regional influence.
On nuclear arms control, O’Donnell said the collapse of several treaties had increased strategic uncertainty. He argued that Russia’s long standing violations had undermined trust and contributed to the breakdown of agreements.
He added that the United States was now seeking broader frameworks that would also include China, whose growing arsenal remains outside existing limits.
Despite rising tensions, O’Donnell said Washington’s primary objective remained to use economic pressure to encourage serious negotiations.
