Cambodia Expresses Concern Over US Sanctions on Russia's Oil Purchases

Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the United States of its concern that new measures to sanction countries purchasing Russian oil could impact bilateral relations. This announcement came hours after the US took new sanction measures. The US House of Representatives on September 16 (US time) passed a bill that would give President Donald Trump the authority to impose sanctions on Russia and raise tariffs by 100% on countries that purchase Russian oil and gas. The bill is awaiting President Trump's signature to become enacted law. Cambodia and China are among the countries most affected, as they are major customers of Russian oil. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), from December 2022 to August 2026, China accounted for half of Russia's crude oil exports, followed by Cambodia at 37%, Turkey at 5%, and the European Union (EU) at 5%. The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted the passage of the new draft law, stating that New Delhi has raised this issue with the US in recent months and has clearly explained the potential impact on bilateral relations and the international energy market. The ministry stated in a statement that New Delhi remains strongly committed to ensuring energy security for its people and will continue to seek supplies from diverse sellers based on market potential. Analysis by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a New Delhi-based think tank, shows that Russia is projected to supply 30.3% of Cambodia's crude oil imports in 2026, valued at $40.8 billion. This represents a significant portion of Cambodia's total imports of $134.7 billion that year. Furthermore, in July 2023, Russian crude oil accounted for more than half of Cambodia's total imports, exceeding the combined amount from other supplying countries such as the United Arab Emirates (10.8%), Saudi Arabia (9.6%), Venezuela (6.3%), Brazil (5.5%), Oman (5.3%), and the United States (2.9%). Source: Koh Santepheap Khmer