The Kremlin said on Monday that no sanctions would ever force Russia to change course in the Ukraine war, hours after the United States and the European Union indicated they were considering additional economic restrictions.
“No sanctions will be able to force the Russian Federation to change the consistent position that our president has repeatedly spoken about,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Kremlin reporter Alexander Yunashev.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was ready to move to a second phase of sanctioning Russia, the closest he has come to suggesting he will tighten sanctions against Moscow or those who buy its oil.
EU Council President Antonio Costa said new sanctions were being closely coordinated with the U.S., and EU officials are hopeful of better cooperation.
Accordingly, the European Union’s sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan is in Washington with a team of experts to discuss further sanctions against Russia with U.S. counterparts.
