The United States is readying a new package of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector to ramp up pressure on Moscow should Vladimir Putin reject a peace agreement with Ukraine.
The move was reported by Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Potential measures include penalties against the so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers transporting Russian oil, as well as the traders facilitating these operations. The new sanctions could be announced as early as this week.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed these plans during a meeting with a group of European ambassadors earlier in the week. "President Trump is the Peace President, and I reiterated that under his leadership, America will continue to prioritize ending the war in Ukraine," he wrote on X following the meeting.
The White House noted that the final decision rests with Trump. "The role of the agencies is to prepare options for the President. The President has not yet made any new decisions regarding sanctions," a statement read.
The Kremlin is aware of the plans. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday: "Obviously, any sanctions are harmful to the process of restoring relations."
At the same time, Bloomberg sources report headway in negotiations between the US and Ukraine regarding the terms of a potential peace deal. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff spent two days in Berlin holding talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.
US, Ukrainian, and European officials noted significant progress on the issue of post-war security guarantees for Kyiv.
However, contentious issues remain: the future status of territories in eastern Ukraine, the use of frozen Russian central bank assets, and the management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Kyiv is also seeking written commitments from allies regarding their response to any renewed Russian invasion.
According to sources, US proposals involve turning unoccupied territory into a demilitarized or free economic zone under special administration. Whether this would imply de facto recognition of these lands as Russian remains unclear.
The US is also considering immobilized Russian assets as part of a future peace agreement.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told ABC News that he is "very confident" the end of the war is approaching, though Moscow’s territorial demands remain unchanged. He also ruled out the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine under a peace deal. "I am almost certain that we are on the threshold of resolving this terrible crisis. We are ready for a deal, to use President Trump’s word," Ryabkov said.
Russia's "shadow fleet" now numbers approximately 940 vessels—up 45% from a year ago, according to estimates by S&P Global Market Intelligence. About 17% of the world's oil tankers are now engaged in transporting Russian crude. These vessels utilize grey export schemes: formally, trade is conducted by small "private" companies, involving ship-to-ship transfers and falsified origin documents. The average age of shadow fleet vessels is around 20 years (compared to 13 years for the global commercial fleet), and most lack adequate insurance.
Western nations are intensifying pressure on this network. As part of its 19th sanctions package, the EU plans to blacklist 568 vessels and is developing legal mechanisms to detain them in the Baltic Sea. Sanctions have already led to a record accumulation of oil at sea, with logistical bottlenecks caused by the use of aging tankers and lengthy detour routes.
Beyond financing the war, the Russian shadow fleet is being used for reconnaissance and sabotage. According to the Ukrainian Navy, there have been recorded instances of drone launches from tankers and damage to underwater cables. Meanwhile, China has begun forming its own shadow fleet to import Russian LNG, creating new challenges for sanctions policy.