MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he remained open to dialogue with US President Donald Trump and warned Moscow would respond “very strong, if not overwhelming” if Russia were attacked with US Tomahawk missiles that Ukraine is seeking.
Speaking to reporters, according to AFP, Putin said “dialogue is always better than confrontation or any disputes, and especially war,” but made clear Moscow’s red lines over the possible transfer of long-range strike weapons to Kyiv.
“If Russia was attacked with US Tomahawk missiles … the response would be very strong, if not overwhelming,” he said.
Putin also described new US sanctions on oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil as “serious” but said they would not be enough to significantly damage Russia’s economy.
“They will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly impact our economic well-being,” he said, calling the measures an “unfriendly act” that did not help already strained bilateral ties.
US sanctions Russian oil companies
On Wednesday, the United States placed Rosneft and Lukoil on its sanctions list, freezing any assets in US jurisdiction and barring US persons and companies from doing business with the firms.
The move — part of a broader push to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine — marked a noteworthy shift in Washington’s approach.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action aimed to cut funding for what he called “the Kremlin’s war machine,” and urged allies to follow suit.
The sanctions triggered an immediate market reaction. On Thursday, Brent crude jumped about 4.8 percent and West Texas Intermediate rose about 5.1 percent, as traders reassessed global supply prospects.
US prices briefly rose back above $60 a barrel, with some industry analysts warning the measures could tighten markets further next year if enforced strictly.
“These new sanctions are likely to have a real impact,” said Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, an analyst at Global Risk Management.
Capital Economics said the shock could be large enough to push the global oil market into deficit in 2026, depending on enforcement.
Secondary effects and global buyers
Beyond direct restrictions, Washington’s use of the US Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list risks deterring third-party companies from dealing with the sanctioned groups for fear of losing access to US banks, shippers and insurers.
“Secondary sanctions are a big deal,” Maia Nikoladze of the Atlantic Council told AFP, because few firms want to be cut off from the US financial system.
Russia can weather sanctions
The Kremlin said Russia had developed a “strong immunity” to sanctions and warned the measures risked undermining diplomacy. Kremlin critics and some Western analysts noted the long-term effect depends on how broadly partners adhere to the punitive measures and whether alternative trading routes and currencies blunt their force.
European Union ministers meanwhile approved a fresh package of measures that includes a complete ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports by the end of 2026.
Major stock markets were mixed as investors weighed the sanctions against signs of easing US-China trade tensions.
Beijing said it would hold tariff talks with Washington, after reports of possible additional US export curbs to China.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the sanctions as a “clear signal” to Moscow to end the war.
