Putin issues BIG warning after Trump slaps oil sanctions: ‘Response would be…’

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the latest US sanctions were “serious” but stressed they were not strong enough to greatly affect his country’s economy. Trump’s comments came after the US hit Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, with sanctions; This is the first of its kind since Donald Trump began his second term earlier this year. Putin also warned that sanctions could harm Russia-US relations, which he said were “just beginning to recover.”

According to the AFP news agency, Putin said: “They (US sanctions) are serious for us, that is clear. And they will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being.” He also called the action a “hostile act” that “does not strengthen Russia-US relations.” Putin also warned that if Russia were attacked by US Tomahawk missiles, the response would be “very strong, if not overwhelming”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested powerful missiles from the USA, but it remains unclear whether the supply will be made.

On Wednesday, Trump announced sanctions against Russian oil giants. “Look, these are huge sanctions. These are huge. These are against their two major oil companies… We hope the war ends,” he told reporters at the White House in Washington. Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Putin in his efforts to end the war in Ukraine, which began after Russia launched an all-out invasion of its neighbor in early 2022. The US president has occasionally pushed for peace in Ukraine and hosted Putin in Alaska in August, but that summit failed to make any progress.