Traders Want Back In on Russian Crude—but the Door’s Still Shut

The world’s biggest independent commodity traders will return to trading Russian energy if sanctions are relieved enough to allow it. But this could take years as any relief would be gradual and slow, the top executives of the major international trading houses said this week. The U.S. is considering some sanctions relief as the Trump Administration started engaging with Russia and Ukraine to broker an end to the war. Amid uncertainties about the talks on a ceasefire, it is not clear if or when any significant sanctions relief would come…