The U.S. sanctions , the first new ones of Trump’s second term, blacklisted Russia’s two largest oil companies—Rosneft and Lukoil—and most of their subsidiaries, and they have already spooked both of Russia’s main customers. Refiners in India and China said they would begin cutting oil trade with Russia in the wake of the U.S. sanctions. Coupled with fresh rounds of sanctions from the European Union (approved Wednesday) and the United Kingdom (announced earlier this month), the Western chokehold on Russia’s golden goose is finally taking devastating shape.

After refusing to pressure Russia for nine months, U.S. President Donald Trump has finally unsheathed a sanctions weapon against the country’s all-important energy sector in a bid to starve Moscow’s war machine and bring it back to the negotiating table.

After refusing to pressure Russia for nine months, U.S. President Donald Trump has finally unsheathed a sanctions weapon against the country’s all-important energy sector in a bid to starve Moscow’s war machine and bring it back to the negotiating table.

The U.S. sanctions, the first new ones of Trump’s second term, blacklisted Russia’s two largest oil companies—Rosneft and Lukoil—and most of their subsidiaries, and they have already spooked both of Russia’s main customers. Refiners in India and China said they would begin cutting oil trade with Russia in the wake of the U.S. sanctions.