Trump sanctions Rosneft, Lukoil over Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil on Wednesday, expressing frustration that negotiations with Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war have stalled. Trump said his conversations with the Russian leader went nowhere despite what he describes as good discussions. The European Union simultaneously announced its 19th round of sanctions against Moscow since the 2022 invasion began.
The measures freeze all American assets of both companies and prohibit US firms from conducting business with them. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it one of the largest sanctions against Russia to date. Trump had delayed action for months, but lost patience after plans for a Budapest summit with Putin collapsed. The president said he hopes the penalties will be temporary if the war ends soon.
The EU advanced its ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports by one year to early 2027 and blacklisted more than 100 additional tankers from Moscow’s aging oil fleet. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed confidence that sustained pressure would bring Putin to the negotiating table. Russian strikes on Ukraine killed seven people overnight, damaging a kindergarten in Kharkiv where frightened children suffered cuts and hysteria but survived.
