It's not just the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil that's on the table. In recent days, the Donald Trump administration has made another move seen as a favor to Vladimir Putin, removing from the blacklist a Dubai-based company that Moscow used to circumvent sanctions and secure needed goods for the military.
The decision was made without any official explanation and has surprised even specialists in the field, raising suspicions of secret negotiations between Washington and the Kremlin.
By 2023, the Joe Biden administration had imposed sanctions on 130 companies, targeting networks that helped Russia secure technology and equipment for the war in Ukraine. Among them was Globe Trekkers LLC, a Dubai-based company accused of supplying Russia with sensitive goods such as computer processors and dual-use materials important to the military industry.
However, on March 6, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control removed the company from its sanctions list without explanation. This means Globe Trekkers can resume operations, even though the goods it was supplying to Russia could be used for military systems and missiles.
The move has raised serious questions. Sources close to the file suspect that it may be part of a broader agreement with Moscow, linked to economic negotiations between the US and Russia for the period after the end of the war.
Against this backdrop, special envoys Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev met in Florida to discuss several issues, including the energy crisis and the prospects for economic cooperation after the current conflicts. The talks, according to diplomatic sources, go beyond the ongoing wars and focus on peace negotiations and future economic agreements.
