#Vladimir Putin# US sanctions# Donald Trump# Russia Economy# Russia-US Relations
IBNS-CMEDIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday downplayed the impact of fresh US sanctions targeting the country’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, saying they would not significantly affect Russia’s economic stability.
Speaking to reporters, Putin acknowledged the sanctions as “serious,” calling them an “unfriendly act” that would have “certain consequences,” but insisted that Russia’s “economic well-being” would remain intact.
The sanctions, announced on Wednesday, are the first imposed by Washington since US President Donald Trump returned to office.
They mark a shift in Trump’s previously cautious approach toward Moscow, after months of holding off on punitive measures.
Putin said the move “does not strengthen Russia-US relations, which have only just begun to recover,” but expressed willingness to continue engagement with Washington.
“Dialogue is always better than confrontation or any disputes, and especially war. We have always supported the continuation of dialogue,” he said.
The Russian leader also issued a warning, saying that any attack involving US Tomahawk missiles, reportedly sought by Ukraine, would prompt a “very strong, if not overwhelming” response from Moscow.
The escalation comes after plans for a new Trump-Putin summit in Budapest were shelved, further straining ties between the two nuclear powers.
