MOSCOW DAILY - 13 MARCH 2026
U.S. Issues 30-Day Russian Oil Sanctions Waiver to Counter Iran Crisis Price Surge; Kremlin Signals Settlement Openness While Claiming 90% Donbass Control; IAEA-Rosatom Consultations on Zaporizhzhia NPP Restart
U.S. temporarily eases Russian oil sanctions to combat Iran crisis-driven price surge
U.S. Treasury issued 30-day license permitting Russian oil/product sales if loaded before March 12, effective through April 11. Represents temporary sanctions relief to address energy supply shock from Iran conflict; German officials express concern this will fund Putin's war effort while Moscow pressures Washington for permanent easing.
Kremlin spokesman: Russia remains open to Ukraine settlement, blames Kyiv for obstruction
Peskov stated March 13 Russia open to settlement paths but accused Ukraine of continuing to obstruct peace process. Follows earlier Turkish source report that Ankara expects to host Ukraine negotiations in March; signals potential diplomatic movement but no concrete progress.
Russian ambassador to UK: Russia controls 90% of Donbass, Ukraine moving toward defeat
Ambassador Andrey Kelin stated March 13 that Russia controls 90% of Donbass and Ukraine is "steadily moving towards defeat." Represents Russian official characterization of battlefield momentum; significant public diplomatic messaging on conflict trajectory.
Russia-IAEA consultations held in Moscow on Zaporizhzhia NPP resumption preparations
Rosatom CEO Likhachev and IAEA Director General Grossi held intergovernmental consultations March 13 on Zaporizhzhia NPP restart. Rosatom stated physical control of plant ensured; Grossi noted path to full resumption is complex. Signals ongoing technical diplomacy on nuclear safety amid occupation.
DRIVING THE DAY
SUMMARY: The U.S. Treasury issued a 30-day license effective through 11 April permitting Russian oil and petroleum product sales if loaded before 12 March, representing temporary sanctions relief to address energy supply shock from the Iran conflict with Brent crude at $107.35/barrel (+15.82%), though German officials expressed concern 13 March that this will directly fund PUTIN's war effort — marking the most significant erosion of U.S. sanctions architecture since the invasion and following directly from PUTIN envoy DMITRIEV's 11-12 March Florida meetings with U.S. Special Envoy WITKOFF and presidential son-in-law KUSHNER (reported in yesterday's cable). Kremlin Spokesman PESKOV reiterated 13 March that Russia remains open to Ukraine settlement paths but accused Kyiv of continuing to obstruct the peace process, while Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey KELIN stated 13 March that Russia controls 90% of Donbass and Ukraine is "steadily moving towards defeat" — representing Moscow's most explicit public battlefield assessment amid Turkey's 12 March confirmation it expects to host negotiations in March. Rosatom CEO Aleksey LIKHACHEV and IAEA Director General Rafael GROSSI held intergovernmental consultations 13 March in Moscow on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant restart preparations, with GROSSI noting the path to full resumption is complex but LIKHACHEV asserting Rosatom's physical control of the occupied plant ensures technical capability — signaling ongoing nuclear safety diplomacy amid occupation. END SUMMARY.
