US President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in response to the ongoing Ukraine war. The sanctions, which include a freeze on all assets in the United States and a ban on US companies doing business with the two Russian oil giants, aim to pressure Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine.
The European Union has also unveiled a fresh wave of sanctions, including a ban on the import of liquefied natural gas from Russia by 2027 and the blacklisting of over 100 Russian tankers. The EU’s measures are designed to crimp Moscow’s oil and gas revenues and are the 19th set of sanctions imposed by the bloc since the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
President Trump’s decision to impose sanctions comes after his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to yield any progress in ending the conflict. Trump expressed frustration with the lack of progress, stating that his conversations with Putin are always good, but “they don’t go anywhere.” The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, emphasized that the United States remains open to engaging with Russia to achieve peace.
The sanctions have been welcomed by Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, who stated that the decision aligns with Ukraine’s position that peace can only be achieved through strength and maximum pressure on the aggressor. The move is seen as a significant escalation of the US’s actions against Russia and reflects Trump’s growing frustration with the situation.
The conflict in Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two children, in the latest overnight barrage, with a kindergarten also being damaged. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, stated that the sanctions are one of the largest imposed on the Russian Federation and are intended to fund the Kremlin’s war machine.
The EU’s new measures are scheduled to be formally adopted on Thursday, ahead of a summit in Brussels where Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with EU leaders. The ongoing conflict has led to a significant humanitarian crisis, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the violence. The international community remains committed to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict, with the US and EU continuing to apply pressure on Russia to end its invasion.