Washington is sharply divided over the latest US sanctions waiver for Russian oil. Michael Parker, a former investigator and section chief in the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), explains why sanctions relief remains Washington’s sharpest diplomatic bargaining tool.

The Trump administration has allowed a controversial waiver on sanctions targeting Russian seaborne oil to expire, reimposing restrictions that had temporarily enabled countries…

Washington has extended its sanctions waiver for Russian oil cargoes at sea by 30 days. This move aims to help vulnerable nations access Russian oil amidst surging global energy…