Trump had announced it: “Devastating sanctions for Russia if it does not accept the truce”. And the first measures have already arrived. The United States has in fact tightened restrictions against Moscow, hitting the strategic sectors of oil, gas and finance.
According to cbs, the Trump administration has chosen to do not renew the exemptions granted in January from Biden, who until now had allowed some Russian banks to continue to make energy transactions through US payment systems.
With the revocation of the exemption, leading financial institutions such as Sberbank, VTB Bank, Alfa-Bank and the Central Bank of Russia itself have been excluded from the American financial system, making it more difficult for Moscow to manage its international operations in the energy sector.
The impact of the new sanctions
The new restrictions make more difficult for other countries to buy Russian oil, which could lead to a Crude oil price rises to five dollars a barrel. After weeks of stability in energy markets, the US move could lead to asoaring costs, affecting the global trade balance and increasing economic pressure on Moscow.
The pressure on Moscow
The sanctions are part of a broader framework of diplomatic pressure. The Trump administration is trying to persuade Russia to aaccept a 30-day truce to end the war in Ukraine. “We are having very serious discussions with President Putin and others,” Trump said, implying that negotiations are ongoing.
From Moscow, the Putin's response was ambiguous. While saying that a truce is necessary, he insisted on the need for solutions that would lead to lasting peace. The Kremlin stressed that some issues remain unresolved, including the situation in the Kursk region, where Russian forces have reportedly encircled Ukrainian units. According to Putin, Kiev could use the ceasefire to regroup militarily, making the truce more advantageous for Ukraine than for Russia.
Secondo Mikhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, Putin's position demonstrates that Moscow has no intention of stopping the conflict. “He talks about peace, but he sets conditions that make it impossible,” he said in an interview.
Putin's diplomatic advisor, too, Yuri Ushakov, expressed skepticism about the American proposal, saying that a temporary ceasefire would not lead to a lasting solution and would only benefit Kiev.
