President Trump announced that he would be easing oil-related sanctions on some countries following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following reports that the US was planning to remove sanctions on Russian oil. This move is seen as a sensible measure to address a dangerous unintended consequence of the military operation against Iran. However, it is also potentially dangerous for U.S. interests in Europe and the Middle East. This decision comes at a difficult time as Moscow is suspected to be providing Iran with military intelligence and drone components to Iran, and Russian components have been found in Iranian drones launched at British forces in Cyprus. The White House is in a position to mitigate the downsides of easing sanctions on Russia and penalize Moscow for aiding Iran's war effort. John Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and former US ambassador to Ukraine, argues that smart sanctions can save the administration's 'peace through strength' strategy. He suggests that selling advanced weapons to our Allies would be a better option than transferring these weapons to Ukraine.