‘Strong immunity to Western restrictions’: Russia hits out as Trump’s sanctions its oil firms; ‘step entirely counterproductive’
Russia has slammed Donald Trump administration’s sanctions on its oil firms saying that the move undermines efforts for peace, adding that it is immune to any such restrictions.Russia said that recent US sanctions targeting its oil sector could potentially undermine diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict, whilst asserting its resilience against such measures.According to an AFP report, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, “We view this step as being entirely counterproductive, including in terms of signalling the need to achieve meaningful negotiated solutions to the Ukrainian conflict.”The Russian official expressed confidence in the nation’s resilience against international sanctions. “Our country has developed a strong immunity to Western restrictions and will continue to confidently develop its economic potential, including its energy potential,” she added.Also Read | No oil from Russia soon? Trump sanctions to hit India’s crude imports; ‘all but impossible for flows to continue’
Donald Trump’s sanctions on Russian oil firms
US President Donald Trump imposed fresh sanctions on Russia’s two principal oil corporations on Wednesday, expressing frustration that his diplomatic discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin were not yielding progress.After delaying additional punitive measures against Russia for several months, Trump’s tolerance waned following the breakdown of arrangements for a proposed meeting with Putin in Budapest, the AFP report said.“Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere,” Trump told AFP.Trump expressed hope that the “tremendous sanctions” against Russian petroleum companies Rosneft and Lukoil would not last long. “We hope that the war will be settled,” he stated during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.Also Read | Trump sanctions on Russia oil firms: What does US move mean for Indian refiners? Contracts being reviewedUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on Wednesday evening that despite the sanctions, the United States remained interested in Russian discussions.“We’re always going to be interested in engaging if there’s an opportunity to achieve peace,” Rubio stated to the press.In a separate development, the European Union decided to implement additional restrictions targeting Moscow’s petroleum revenue due to the ongoing conflict, according to a representative of the EU’s current Danish presidency.
