Washington’s nine-month pause on new restrictions against Russia has come to an end. President Donald Trump has imposed his first sanctions of his second term – targeting two of Russia’s biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, along with their subsidiaries.
The move, presented by the White House as a push to “encourage Moscow to agree to a ceasefire,”comes alongside the postponement of an anticipated summit between Trump and President Vladimir Putin in Budapest. While the administration insists the meeting is merely delayed, not canceled, the twin decisions have reignited debate in Moscow about Trump’s real intentions – and about who truly sets the tone for US policy toward Russia.