Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the fresh US sanctions imposed on Russia’s two major oil companies were an “unfriendly act” that does not strengthen relations with Washington. However, Putin claimed those sanctions would not affect his country’s economy.
The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russian energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, that fund "Kremlin's war machine” as well as nearly three dozens of their subsidiaries, in an effort to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
Addressing local journalists, Putin said fresh US sanctions would lead to some losses, although the country’s energy sector felt “confident”. “No self-respecting country ever does anything under pressure,” Putin stressed. He also called on Trump to “think about who his administration is really working for” when targeting Russia’s energy sector, and also warned that the sanctions would lead to hikes in prices.
Furthermore, Putin warned of a “very strong, if not overwhelming” response if his country was attacked by US-supplied Tomahawk missiles that have a range of over 2,000 kilometers and could enable Ukraine target capital Moscow.
The US Treasury Department announced Wednesday it will scale up sanctions on Russia due to its "lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US is sanctioning Russia's two largest oil companies that fund the "Kremlin's war machine."
The sanctions came one day after US leader Donald Trump announced he cancelled indefinitely the planned meeting with Putin over lack of progress in reaching a ceasefire.
