While US and European officials are threatening to impose more sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin is brushing off the possibility, pointing to the fact that Western sanctions have done nothing to stop Russia’s military operations so far.
“In general, one thing can probably be said: this unprecedented number of sanctions that have been imposed against our country over the past four years has had no effect,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. “No sanctions will be able to force the Russian Federation to change this stalwart position.”
Peskov’s comments came after President Trump said that he was ready to impose more sanctions on Russia following a heavy Russian bombardment of Ukraine. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said that the US must partner with the EU to “collapse” the Russian economy.
“We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up,” Bessent said on Sunday. “And if the US and the EU can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in total collapse, and that will bring President Putin to the table.”
Despite the threats from US officials, Peskov focused his criticism on Ukraine and its European supporters. “We intend to continue moving in line with the peacekeeping efforts that the United States is undertaking, President Trump personally. We welcome these efforts, and we hope that these efforts will continue to be applied in a constructive manner,” he said.
“Actually, sanctions are an agenda that is diligently supported, first of all, by the Kiev regime and also by European countries. And, of course, they are doing everything possible to draw Washington into their orbit and impose these sanctions. Various representatives from Washington also make relevant statements, and we take them into account,” Peskov added.
A peace deal seems increasingly unlikely as Ukraine and its Western backers continue to insist on a plan to deploy troops to a post-war Ukraine, an idea Russia has made clear it would never accept. However, the Kremlin has continued to praise the Trump administration for its efforts to negotiate, and Putin has not ruled out the possibility of reaching an agreement.
