Putin Calls US Sanctions ‘Serious’ But Says Russia’s Economy Will Remain Stable

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the latest sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia’s major oil companies would not have a significant effect on the country’s economy.

Speaking to the media in Moscow, he remarked, “No self-respecting country ever does anything under pressure.”

Putin acknowledged that the sanctions were serious but insisted they would not weaken Russia’s economic well-being.

“They are serious for us, of course, that is clear. And they will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly impact our economic well-being,” he said.

He called the measures an ‘unfriendly act’ that does not contribute to the improvement of Russia–US relations, which, he noted, “Have only just begun to recover.”

Warning Over Global Oil Prices

Putin said he had warned US President Donald Trump that the sanctions could affect global energy markets.

“We said very clearly that this would affect global oil prices, including the US,” he stated.

Recalling Trump’s earlier term, Putin said that Washington had imposed the largest number of sanctions ever placed on Russia.

According to him, the restrictions have both political and economic motivations.

The new sanctions, announced on Wednesday, target Rosneft and Lukoil — Russia’s two largest oil producers.

They mark the first punitive action by Washington against Moscow since Trump’s return to office.

The US Treasury Department stated that the sanctions aim to limit Russia’s ability to finance its aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move, describing it as a step that would ‘weaken the Kremlin’s capacity to wage war’.

Putin, however, dismissed the sanctions as a futile attempt to strong-arm Russia into compliance.

The Kremlin responded by asserting that the nation has developed ‘strong immunity’ to Western restrictions and would continue its economic and energy operations unaffected.

Putin Warns Against Escalation

In remarks to journalists, Putin also warned that Russia’s response to any Tomahawk missile strike on its territory would be ‘serious, if not overwhelming’.

He cautioned that Kyiv’s request to use such missiles was ‘an attempt at escalation’ and urged Western powers to consider the consequences.

“If such weapons are used to strike Russian territory, the response will be very serious, if not overwhelming. Let them think about that,” he said.

Despite the tensions, Putin reaffirmed his commitment to diplomacy.

Commenting on the cancelled meeting with US President Donald Trump, originally planned to take place in Budapest, Hungary, he said, “Dialogue is always better than confrontation, than disputes, or even more so than war.”

Putin noted that Washington had proposed the summit but had since postponed it. He emphasised that both leaders should approach any future meeting seriously to achieve tangible outcomes.

At the White House, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, President Trump said he hoped ‘the war will be settled’.

He admitted that his earlier conversations with Putin had not produced breakthroughs.

“Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere. It’s time to make a deal,” he remarked.

Trump confirmed the cancellation of the Budapest meeting, explaining, “It didn’t feel right to me. It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So, I cancelled it, but we’ll do it in the future.”

Putin’s remarks highlight Russia’s resolve to withstand sanctions while keeping diplomatic channels open.

Both leaders appear willing to pursue dialogue, even as new sanctions and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine strain relations between Moscow and Washington.

Also Read: White House Defends H-1B Visa Overhaul; Reasserts ‘America First’ Commitment