Putin responds to US sanctions on Russian oil companies over Ukraine war
Russian President, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, that the latest U.S. sanctions targeting two major oil firms were “serious,” but he asserted they were not strong enough to significantly affect the economy.
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil marking the first o such restrictions against Russia since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office.
“They (sanctions) are serious for us, of course, that is clear. And they will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly impact our economic well-being,” Putin told reporters. He characterized the sanctions as an “unfriendly act” that “does not strengthen Russia-US relations, which have only just begun to recover.”
Trump had initially sought to foster ties with Russia at the start of his term but has become increasingly frustrated with Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire, recently complaining that his peace talks with him were not going “anywhere.” The Republican president held off introducing new restrictions against Russia for months, but his patience broke after plans for a fresh summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed.
Despite the new sanctions and the summit’s postponement, Putin appeared to remain open to dialogue, telling journalists, “Dialogue is always better than confrontation or any disputes, and especially war. We have always supported the continuation of dialogue.”
However, he issued a warning, stating that if Russia were attacked with U.S. Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine seeks, the response would be “very strong, if not overwhelming.”
