On October 15, a US official stated on Wednesday that the Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on vessels known as the 'shadow fleet.' These ships have previously transported oil and petroleum products from countries such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. This move aims to reduce the currently historically high global shipping rates. Shortly before this, President Trump had temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian diesel, a decision that drew strong criticism from Ukrainian President Zelensky, several European governments, and some Republican senators. The US official revealed that current discussions focus on whether the US will allow previously sanctioned vessels to transport 'legitimate oil.' Here, 'legitimate oil' refers to crude oil or petroleum products not subject to US sanctions, rather than oil from Russia and Iran that is under sanctions. The official stated that this move aims to facilitate the export of more refined products and crude oil from the Gulf region.
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