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US May Target Russia’s “Shadow Fleet” if Kremlin Rejects Peace Plan
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing a potential new round of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, as Washington looks to increase pressure on Moscow amid ongoing negotiations over a possible peace agreement, according to Bloomberg on December 17.
People familiar with the discussions told the outlet that the measures are being considered as leverage should the Kremlin reject a US-backed framework aimed at ending the war against Ukraine.
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According to those sources, the sanctions could be introduced as early as next week, though no final decision has been made.
The proposed measures would reportedly focus on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”—oil tankers used to move Russian crude outside formal sanctions regimes—as well as trading companies that help facilitate those shipments to international buyers.
Bloomberg’s sources said the peace plan being developed by Washington remains unresolved on several key issues. These include the future status of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the fate of frozen Russian state assets held in Europe, and the management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The plan also envisions the deployment of European forces in Ukraine, an idea that Moscow has previously rejected.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed the potential sanctions during meetings with European ambassadors earlier this week, according to people briefed on the talks.
Following the meeting, Bessent wrote: “President Trump is the President of Peace, and I reiterated that under his leadership, America will continue to prioritize ending the war in Ukraine.”
My thanks to @EUAmbUS Ambassador Neliupšienė for hosting discussions this morning with the 27 EU Ambassadors to the United States.
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) December 15, 2025
President Trump is the President of Peace, and I reiterated that under his leadership, America will continue to prioritize ending the war in… pic.twitter.com/3SfQiL4lvw
Any final decision on sanctions will rest with President Trump, the sources emphasized. The US Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside of business hours, Bloomberg wrote.
The Kremlin has acknowledged awareness of the discussions. Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Interfax, that “any sanctions are harmful for the process of rebuilding relations.”
Markets reacted briefly to the news, with Brent crude prices rising by as much as 70 cents per barrel before easing back.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, multiple rounds of sanctions have been imposed on Moscow, though they have not prompted a shift in the Kremlin’s core objectives. Still, measures aimed at Russia’s oil exports and trading mechanisms have contributed to lower revenues and added strain to the country’s economy.
The sanctions discussions come as US, Ukrainian, and European negotiators reported progress this week on security guarantees intended to underpin any future ceasefire. US envoy Steve Witkoff held two days of talks in Berlin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.
Despite that progress, major disagreements remain. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine cede parts of the Donbas region, including areas Moscow has failed to fully occupy since 2014. Kyiv and its partners have firmly rejected proposals that would involve territorial concessions or the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from strategically critical areas.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia’s government plans to lift state debt by roughly $2.5 trillion over the next 17 years to cover budget shortfalls projected through 2042.
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