The Bureau of Industry and Security suspended the export privileges of six people after they were convicted of export-related offenses, including illegal shipments to companies owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch and the smuggling of firearms and engine parts to Mexico. The suspensions took effect from the date of their convictions.
The Center for a New American Security has named Kurt Campbell, former deputy secretary of state, and Anne Neuberger, former deputy national security adviser, to its board of directors. Both Campbell and Neuberger join CNAS after serving in the Biden administration. Campbell helped oversee U.S. efforts to reduce defense trade restrictions with Australia and the U.K. under the AUKUS partnership (see 2404030050 and 2409180025) and worked on Russia-related sanctions issues (see 2407300033).
The EU has agreed to a 17th package of sanctions against Russia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said May 14 on social media. The package includes more restrictions on Russian access to "battlefield technology" and the designations of 189 so-called shadow fleet vessels helping Russia move energy exports, she said. "This war has to end," von der Leyen said. "We will keep the pressure high on the Kremlin." The EU didn't immediately release more information about the measures, which are expected to be formally released in the coming days.
The U.S. government could improve its ability to wield its economic statecraft tools, including sanctions, export controls and investment screening, by making several organizational changes, such as creating an interagency coordinating body co-led by a new high-ranking official at the State Department, a researcher told the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific May 14.
President Donald Trump announced May 13 that he plans to order the “cessation of sanctions against Syria” to give the war-torn country a “chance at greatness.”
The U.K. extended its sanctions license permitting the winding down of transactions with Amsterdam Trade Bank N.V., which is a majority-owned subsidiary of sanctioned Russian bank Alfa-Bank. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation extended the license until May 12, 2030. OFSI also amended the license to say that any party, including the "Bankruptcy Trustees and any other insolvency practitioner," can make, receive or process any payments or "exercise all rights" in connection with any insolvency proceeding related to ATB or "the fulfilment of the Bankruptcy Trustees' statutory functions."
Nature’s Sunshine Products, a dietary supplement manufacturer headquartered in Utah, may have violated U.S. sanctions and export controls, it disclosed this month.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. is considering lifting sanctions against Syria to help give the Syrian people a “fresh start” following last year’s fall of the Bashar Assad regime.
The U.K. on May 9 added five people and four entities to the Russia sanctions list. The entities are Russian energy companies BX Energy and Nord Axis and financial service companies Romarine and Soglasie Insurance Co. Ltd. The individuals are the following five executives at sanctioned Russian energy company Coral Energy Group: Etibar Eyyub, Tahir Garayev, Ahmed Kerimov, Anar Madatli and Talat Safarov.
The U.K. this week fined a fuel transportation company about $6,600, or 5,000 pounds, for failing to respond to a request for information from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. OFSI said U.K.-registered Svarog Shipping & Trading Company Limited, which does business in the maritime oil shipment sector in Cyprus, didn’t respond in time to OFSI questions last year despite receiving “multiple reminders” about the deadline.