WASHINGTON, September 20. /TASS/. The Washington administration is poised to intensify its efforts aimed at restricting Russia’s defense imports and fuel exports, US Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Daleep Singh told the Carnegie Endowment (designated as a foreign agent in Russia).

Speaking about Washington’s attempts to exert the pressure of sanctions on Russia, he said: "I think it involves two different lines of effort: disarming the Russian war machine, and defunding it. Sanctions and export controls are our tools."

"Disarming the Russian war machine really is all about changing the incentives of third countries that have been producing components that end up directly in the battlefield to Russia's advantage. <…> China is the most egregious violator of our sanctions regime in that respect, but [also] India, Turkey, UAE, other countries," the US administration official continued.

"In terms of defunding the war machine, this is all about energy," he added. "I think we're getting closer to the point at which we can talk about a much more strict regime, both in terms of the shadow fleet, but also the amount of oil that Russia is allowed to supply to the market. Those are the two lines of effort that are needed. I would say we have to intensify in order to achieve our objectives."

On December 5, 2022, the European Union embargo on seaborne oil supplies from Russia came into force. G7 countries, the EU and Australia introduced a price cap on seaborne Russian oil at $60 per barrel for their subordinate ships and territories. From February 5, 2023, similar restrictions began to apply to the supply of petroleum products from Russia. The maximum cost was set at $100 and $45 per barrel, depending on the category of petroleum products. Changes to these restrictions require agreement from all EU states and G7 members.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on October 12, 2022 that Moscow will not pay for the welfare of others at its own expense and will supply energy resources to countries that limit their costs. He called the introduction of a cap on fuel prices from Russia a fraudulent ploy and unprecedented blackmail. In addition, Putin warned that the introduction of a price cap on oil could entail the risk of imposing the same cap in other sectors, destroying the global market economy and jeopardizing the well-being of billions of people.