Damascus has agreed to reduce imports of Russian oil as part of negotiations with Washington on lifting Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, Reuters reported on August 4, citing sources.

According to the agency's interlocutors, senior Syrian officials in recent months have indicated a readiness to decrease fuel purchases from Russia. The sources stressed, however, that the American side did not explicitly make this reduction a precondition for lifting the sanctions status.

As a Syrian source claimed, US representatives noted that Damascus's decision to limit imports from Russia would "increase the chances of a swift removal of the status without complications." The US State Department said that Washington urges Syria to attract "reliable corporate partners, especially American companies," and expects the republic to comply with the sanctions regime against Moscow.

A department spokesperson added that there is allegedly no direct link between removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and the volumes of oil supplies from Russia. Experts note that a sharp rejection of Russian energy resources could destabilize Syria's domestic market.

"Replacing Russian oil volumes cannot happen overnight without the risk of fuel shortages or higher import costs for Syria. The long-term impact on Damascus depends on whether Washington accompanies this pressure with an offer of alternatives," said Nawar Saban, an analyst at the Arab Center for Contemporary Studies.

In his assessment, the US is increasing pressure on the economic networks that allow Moscow to maintain influence in the region.