New sanctions on Russia will complicate efforts to broker peace with Ukraine, the Kremlin warned on Thursday.
The warning comes a day after the U.S. Congress sent legislation to President Donald Trump aimed at increasing pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
“Of course, the imposition of any further sanctions by the U.S. will definitely complicate the search for, and efforts towards, a peaceful resolution in Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The warning comes as Trump pushes Russia and Ukraine toward an energy ceasefire as part of wider efforts to end the war. Trump said this week that both sides had agreed to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure, although neither Moscow nor Kyiv has confirmed such an agreement and strikes have continued. Trump has also urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, saying they are contributing to global diesel shortages, while Kyiv has said it is prepared to stop targeting Russian energy infrastructure if Moscow reciprocates.
The developments highlight the competing pressures shaping Washington’s effort to end the war. While the Trump administration is seeking to curb attacks on energy infrastructure and revive negotiations, the new sanctions would increase economic pressure on Moscow as Ukrainian strikes continue to disrupt Russian fuel production. The Kremlin’s warning suggests that Washington’s attempt to combine diplomatic engagement with greater economic pressure could further complicate already-stalled negotiations, while continued Russian and Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure are increasingly affecting fuel supplies and markets beyond the battlefield. (AFP+EIR)
