Russia Dismisses Trump’s Threat of Sanctions as ‘Useless’ 

Russia on Monday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s threats of more sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine as “absolutely useless,” saying no amount of sanctions would force it to change course, Newsweek reported. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the sanctions on Russia have had “no effect whatsoever” and blamed Ukraine and its European allies for keeping sanctions at the forefront of the US agenda. 

On Sunday, Trump told reporters he will move to “the second phase” of sanctions against Moscow, a day after Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine in the three-year war: The airstrikes killed at least four people – including an infant – and set a Ukrainian government building ablaze. 

The US president condemned the strikes as “a horrible waste of humanity,” while other US officials said it was “not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war,” Al Jazeera wrote. 

Western nations have imposed tens of thousands of sanctions on Russia over its 2022 invasion and 2014 annexation of Crimea, targeting its $2.2 trillion economy and aiming to erode support at home for President Vladimir Putin.  

However, analysts told Reuters the Russian economy has proven more resilient than expected, growing 4.1 percent in 2023 and 4.3 percent in 2024, though growth is slowing down this year due to high interest rates. 

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has threatened secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil: Last month, it imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil. 

European Union officials said it is considering new sanctions, which would be closely coordinated with the US. 

Amid sanction threats, Washington has launched diplomatic efforts to urge Russia to end the war. Trump’s August summit with Putin in Alaska produced no deal, and the fighting has only intensified since. 

Russia now controls roughly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory and says the conflict will only end if Kyiv abandons its NATO ambitions and recognizes Moscow’s territorial claims to Ukrainian land.  

Ukraine has rejected those demands, insisting instead on binding security guarantees, including Western peacekeeping forces on the ground.  

Moscow has ruled out any agreement that would allow Western troops in Ukraine.