Australian Foreign Minister Will Not Lift Sanctions on Russian Oil

‘We maintain our sanctions on Russian oil. That’s because we don’t want to fuel Mr. Putin’s war machine,’ said Foreign Minister Penny Wong.Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong talks to journalists at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 12, 2026. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas3/31/2026|Updated: 3/31/2026Foreign Minister Penny Wong has ruled out lifting sanctions on Russian oil despite the current fuel crisis, saying the Labor government does not want to assist Russia in its war with Ukraine.“We maintain our sanctions on Russian oil. That’s because we don’t want to fuel Mr. Putin’s war machine,” Wong told Sunrise on March 31.