Stubb Criticized The Easing Of U.S. Sanctions Against Russian Federation

• 22.03.2026, 20:09

Finland's president said it strengthens the Russian war machine.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said that the easing of US sanctions on Russian oil will cause significant damage.

The Finnish president said this in an interview with The Telegraph.

Stubb emphasized that the decision is extremely damaging to Ukraine because it essentially "fuels the Russian war machine."

"From the very beginning, I believed that we needed to do two things: give Ukraine maximum support, both financial and military, and put as much pressure on Russia as possible. And, of course, sanctions play a key role in this," he said.

When asked whether the US would resume sanctions once the Iranian crisis is over, Stubb said, "I don't have such a crystal ball."

At the same time, he added that U.S. President Donald Trump deserves recognition for imposing sanctions last year on two major Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, and using U.S. tariffs to force India to reduce its imports of Russian energy.

Stubb, however, could not be certain that U.S. sanctions would return, saying only, "At this stage, we just don't know."