According to the report, Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade is urging firms to specify which sanctions should be removed as soon as possible and to highlight which restrictions have most impacted their businesses. Journalists spoke on the condition of anonymity with employees of major exporters, consultants, lawyers, economists, and advisors. They noted that payment restrictions—especially those affecting U.S. dollar-denominated transactions—have been the most burdensome.
Three sources mentioned energy sanctions as well, specifically restrictions targeting Russia’s oil tanker fleet.
Andrei Melashchenko, an analyst at Renaissance Capital, warned that lifting U.S. sanctions would not automatically remove European restrictions, meaning that Russian revenue from cross-border transactions would remain limited.
Two other sources said that easing secondary sanctions—those imposed on companies in third countries that facilitate Russia’s circumvention of restrictions—is likely the most immediate step Washington would be prepared to take.