Putin says Russia will not cave under US sanctions, Trump replies ‘we will see’
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Russia’s president has downplayed the latest round of U.S. sanctions, calling them an “unfriendly act” that he claims will have little effect on Russia’s economy or its position regarding the war in Ukraine.
Speaking Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the new measures would not pressure Moscow into changing course.
“No self-respecting country does anything under pressure,” Putin declared, accusing Washington of trying to “strongarm” Russia through economic coercion.
Putin described President Donald Trump’s sanctions as an “unfriendly act” that would further strain U.S.-Russia relations, but insisted the economic impact would be limited.
When asked about Putin’s remarks at a press conference later that day, President Trump brushed off the comments with a brief response.
“I’m glad he feels that way,” Trump said. Accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the president added with a smile, “I’ll let you know in six months how it’s going. Let’s see how it works out.”
Putin also warned Washington against supplying Tomahawk missiles or other long-range weapons to Ukraine, warning that any deep strikes on Russian territory would provoke a “devastating” response.
“If such weapons are used to strike Russian territory, the response will be very serious — if not overwhelming. Let them think about that,” he cautioned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russian authorities were still analyzing the new sanctions and would act “in the country’s best interest.”
“We are acting primarily not against someone else, but for our own benefit,” Peskov stated. “That’s what we will continue to do.”
The new sanctions target Russia’s two largest oil companies — Lukoil and Rosneft — while the European Union approved its 19th package of restrictions this week, aimed at curbing Russian energy revenues and closing loopholes used to evade existing measures.
The coordinated Western sanctions seek to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire in Ukraine following the collapse of recent diplomatic talks.
Putin Insists Trump Summit Is “Postponed,” Not Canceled
Despite President Trump’s public announcement that he canceled a planned summit with Putin, the Russian leader disputed the characterization, saying it was merely postponed.
“We canceled the meeting with President Putin,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “It just didn’t feel right to meet. It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we need to get. So I canceled it.”
Trump added that while his conversations with Putin are often productive, they haven’t yet led to meaningful progress.
“Every time I speak to Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere. They just don’t go anywhere,” he said.
Putin, however, maintained that the summit was only delayed, noting that it would be a mistake to hold it without proper preparation. He said the meeting and its proposed location were initially suggested by the U.S. side, and reiterated Moscow’s readiness for dialogue.
Russian state media also referred to the event as being “rescheduled” or “postponed,” carefully avoiding the term “canceled.”
Meanwhile, reports in U.S. media indicate that Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a Kremlin special envoy, has arrived in Washington for meetings with White House officials to continue discussions on the future of U.S.-Russia relations.
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