Vladimir Putin has spoken out about Donald Trump’s recent sanctions on Russia, issuing a stark warning to the US President. Trump imposed sanctions on Russia’s top two oil companies in an effort to push Moscow towards resolving conflicts with Ukraine. Despite Trump’s seeming warming towards Russia after a recent conversation with Putin, the sanctions failed to yield significant progress.
Putin, addressing the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow, emphasized the importance of dialogue over conflict, stating that communication is preferable to war. He stressed that Russia has always supported ongoing discussions.
In response to Trump’s remarks that his conversations with Putin often lead nowhere despite being positive, Putin cautioned that Russia would strongly retaliate against any attacks from Ukraine, especially if advanced US-made Tomahawk missiles were deployed.
Regarding Trump’s shifting stance towards Russia, his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt noted that the sanctions were in line with the President’s longstanding commitment. She highlighted Trump’s frustration with Putin and the ongoing conflict and mentioned the possibility of a future meeting between the two leaders, emphasizing the need for tangible progress and a beneficial outcome. Leavitt also mentioned that any further sanctions on Russia would be at the discretion of the President.