Russian president Vladimir Putin is attempting to overcome many seemingly impossible tasks in his drive to challenge the West and re-establish Moscow’s dominion over its former empire. But in at least one, he seems to have succeeded. With Wednesday’s announcement by the United States that it would impose sanctions on two major Russian oil companies, Putin’s intransigence appears, finally, to have overcome the extreme reluctance of Donald Trump to use any of the enormous power of the US against Moscow.
The sanctions, levied against the energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, effectively cut the firms off from American banking systems and financial institutions.
They follow the latest iteration of a repetitive cycle of Trump calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine, and Putin declining
Continue Reading on The Independent
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.