Europeans slam US decision to ease Russia oil sanctions – POLITICO

Merz said the decision by the U.S. administration had come as a surprise on Friday morning, crushing his hopes that Washington might refrain from taking such steps, as other G7 members had strongly urged Trump not to ease the pressure on Moscow during a joint video call on Wednesday.

“We want to ensure that Russia does not exploit the war in Iran to weaken Ukraine,” Merz said. “Nor will we allow Moscow to test NATO on its eastern flank and up here in the north.”

Merz stressed that Germany, together with its G7 partners and Israel, was working to end the war. He also reiterated his fears that the U.S. and Israel lack a strategy for ending the conflict.

The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks against American allies in the Gulf have halted transit in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital maritime chokepoints, driving up energy prices.

In view of soaring prices, Merz pointed to the release of international oil reserves in recent days, including by Germany, which he said, “will help to moderate energy prices to some extent.”

The American move to ease pressure on Russia was met with exasperation by Ukrainian leadership. Speaking in Paris on Friday, Zelenskyy said the U.S. decision was “not very logical.”