On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russia’s two major oil firms, expressing frustration that his discussions with Vladimir Putin regarding the Ukraine conflict have gone nowhere.
Meanwhile, the European Union introduced a new set of sanctions aimed at compelling Russia to cease its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which maintains close ties with both Washington and Brussels.
After months of hesitating, Trump decided to take action against Russia following the collapse of plans for a new summit with Putin in Budapest.
In response to an AFP reporter’s question in the Oval Office, Trump remarked, “Every time I chat with Vladimir, our conversations seem promising, but ultimately lead to no results.” However, he expressed hope that the “significant sanctions” on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil would be temporary, stating, “We hope the conflict will be resolved,” during a press appearance with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned on Wednesday evening that the U.S. is still interested in engaging with Russia despite implementing sanctions. “We will always be eager to pursue dialogue if there’s a chance for peace,” Rubio told reporters.
Additionally, the EU decided to implement new measures designed to reduce Moscow’s oil and gas revenue amid the ongoing war, according to a spokesperson from Denmark, which currently holds the EU presidency. This latest initiatives, the 19th package of sanctions since Russia’s invasion in 2022, aims to maintain pressure on Russia as Trump’s efforts for peace falter alongside Russia’s escalating military actions.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Olha Stefanishyna, welcomed the sanctions, stating, “This decision aligns perfectly with Ukraine’s firm belief that peace can only be achieved through strength and by applying maximum pressure on the aggressor utilizing all available international tools.”
The sanctions followed a recent Russian attack on Ukraine that resulted in seven fatalities, including two children, as well as damage to a kindergarten.
These U.S. sanctions mark a significant escalation in actions against Russia and underscore Trump’s growing dissatisfaction with his inability to persuade Putin to halt the conflict, despite his claims of having a good rapport with the Russian leader. The measures entail freezing all assets of Rosneft and Lukoil within the United States and prohibiting U.S. businesses from engaging with the two Russian oil giants.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “Given President Putin’s reluctance to end this futile war, we are sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that financially support the Kremlin’s military operations.” He later informed Fox Business’ Kudlow that this is “among the most extensive sanctions we have enacted against the Russian Federation.”
“President Putin has not been forthcoming in discussions as we had anticipated,” Bessent remarked, adding that Trump is “disappointed with the state of these talks.”
This week, Trump scrapped plans for discussions with Putin in Budapest, expressing that he did not want to engage in a “fruitless” meeting. The Kremlin indicated it was still open to a summit, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that preparations were ongoing prior to the sanctions’ announcement. “Neither President Trump nor President Putin wants to waste time,” Peskov told reporters.
In conjunction with the new EU sanctions, the bloc accelerated the ban on liquefied natural gas imports from Russia, now set to begin at the start of 2027, one year earlier than previously intended. They also added over 100 tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” of aging oil vessels to a blacklist and imposed travel restrictions on Russian diplomats suspected of espionage.
This sanctions package is slated for formal approval on Thursday, just prior to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky attending a summit with EU leaders in Brussels. Earlier that day, Zelensky signed a letter of intent with Sweden for the purchase of 150 Gripen fighter jets.
During the latest Russian offensive, AFP journalists in Kyiv reported hearing the noise of Russian drones and explosions throughout the night and saw smoke rising above the city. “My hands are still shaking,” said Kyiv resident Mariana Gorchenko. “I jumped up, relieved that my child wasn’t in the room where the windows were shattered.” The strikes also caused damage to a kindergarten in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
