The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has temporarily eased certain restrictions against Russia in order to facilitate the holding of the U.S.–Russia summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The agency issued General License No. 125; the document is valid until August 20 and includes selective authorizations for operations related to logistics, organizational and diplomatic support.
The OFAC statement clearly sets the following rule: “All transactions otherwise prohibited by the sanctions are authorized until 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on August 20, 2025, for participation in or support of meetings between the U.S. Government and the Government of Russia in the State of Alaska.” In other words, for summit-related services — transport, accommodation, security, communications-infrastructure, technical support, customs-logistics and similar areas — a “green corridor” is provided for necessary payments/operations for a limited period.
Crucially, this is not a general lifting of sanctions. The temporary relief applies only to transactions connected with organizing and supporting the meeting in Alaska. Other political or commercial deals, as well as broad-scope operations with listed persons/entities, remain outside the license. Under the rules, beneficiaries and service providers must fully document contracts/payments and cease any operations once the term expires.
The summit will take place on August 15. According to CNN, the selected venue is the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson. Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov noted that the main topic of the talks will be the search for ways to achieve a long-term resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Expected discussions will rely on the architecture of geopolitical security, escalation risks, humanitarian issues and economic-sanctions mechanisms.
Observers point out that OFAC’s similar “general licenses” and the provision of protocol logistics are a standard instrument in global diplomatic practice: to ensure that “technical” operations — receiving summit guests, flights/fuel, hotels, venue rentals, communications-security services, etc. — do not immediately run up against sanctions barriers, a temporary legal basis is created. At the same time, participants must strictly adhere to the scope of the license, not deviating from the set term and purpose.
In conclusion, General License No. 125 will operate for a short period before and shortly after the summit; it authorizes a limited set of operations for organizers and executors until August 20. All other sanctions rules remain in force. The key question remains: what practical outcomes and political signals will the dialogue in Alaska produce?
Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!
