Russia Says Trump Admin Has Yet to Honor Pledge to Release Detained Oil Tanker Crew: 'We Expect the U.S. to Fulfill Its Promises'

Russia said that the Trump administration has not followed through on assurances to release two Russian crew members detained after U.S. forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker earlier this month, underscoring what Moscow called a failure to implement a decision made "at the highest level."

American forces boarded and seized the tanker Marinera—formerly known as the Bella 1—on Jan. 7 in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit, as part of Washington's effort to block Venezuelan oil exports. The vessel had been placed under U.S. sanctions in 2024 for operating within what U.S. authorities describe as a "shadow fleet" transporting illicit oil.

"We were assured that a decision had been made at the highest level to secure their release," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference on Tuesday as per The Moscow Times. "Unfortunately, the following days have shown that this decision is not being implemented. We expect our American colleagues to fulfill their promises."

The United States has not publicly confirmed whether it intends to release the crew. U.S. officials have previously said the sailors could face prosecution in the United States, a prospect Russia has described as "categorically unacceptable."

Moscow initially condemned the seizure as "maritime piracy," accusing Washington of threatening international shipping lanes by intercepting vessels leaving Venezuela. Russia's Transport Ministry said contact with the tanker was lost after U.S. naval forces boarded it near Iceland and argued that the operation violated international maritime law.

Citing the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, the ministry said freedom of navigation applies on the high seas and demanded the crew's "humane and decent treatment" and prompt return.

The United Kingdom later confirmed it provided logistical and surveillance support to the interception at Washington's request, saying the action complied with international law and was aimed at disrupting sanctions evasion. U.S. officials said the seizure was conducted under a federal court warrant after weeks of monitoring by the Coast Guard.

China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning also criticized the seizure at the time, saying Beijing opposes "illegal and unilateral sanctions" and called the seizure of a foreign vessel on the high seas a serious violation of international law, warning that such actions threaten freedom of navigation and the international legal order.

The seizure came amid a broader U.S. pressure campaign targeting sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments following the Jan. 3 capture of Nicolás Maduro, with Washington stepping up interdictions of vessels linked to the trade in recent weeks.