Ukraine Welcomes New U.S. and EU Sanctions on Russia While Moscow Brands Them an “Act of War”

Ukraine Welcomes New U.S. and EU Sanctions on Russia While Moscow Brands Them an “Act of War”
The government of Ukraine has welcomed a fresh set of economic sanctions announced by the United States and the European Union, calling them “very important” for increasing pressure on Russia’s ability to sustain its war effort.

Sanctions Take Aim at Russia’s Energy & Finance

On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury unveiled sanctions that bar Americans from dealing with the Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, or with any companies that are more than 50 % owned by them.

The EU followed suit on Thursday, introducing measures aimed at cutting off revenues that fund the war. The package includes targeting Russia’s oil and gas sector, its “shadow fleet” of old tankers avoiding sanctions, the financial sector, and curbs on the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU.

Ukraine Reacts, Russia Pushes Back
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, praised the sanctions while in Brussels, thanking U.S. President Donald Trump for the “resolute and well-targeted decision” and calling the move a “clear signal that prolonging the war and spreading terror come at a cost.”

In contrast, Russia’s former president and current security council chair, Dmitry Medvedev, branded the U.S. sanctions “an act of war,” saying the U.S. has fully “embarked on the warpath with Russia.”

Still No Breakthrough in the War
Despite the increased economic pressure, the war shows no signs of winding down. The fighting continues along a long and dangerous front line, stretching about 600 miles through eastern and southern Ukraine.

Russia has launched almost daily strikes on Ukraine’s power grid ahead of the winter, while Ukrainian forces have been targeting Russian energy infrastructure and manufacturing plants.

Diplomacy and Weapons: A Complex Picture
President Trump expressed frustration with Putin, saying that their conversations produced nothing meaningful.

Although Ukraine has urged for American-made long-range missiles, the U.S. so far has not approved them, limiting its support mostly to economic measures rather than military escalation.

What’s Next?
For Ukraine, the key aim is to get more countries to join in the sanctions effort and to force Russia to negotiate an end to the war. In Brussels, Zelenskyy stressed that any cease-fire must not include territorial concessions to Russia