Kremlin insists Russia has developed “immunity” to U.S. sanctions amid escalating pressure from Washington.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is maintaining a steadfast stance against President Donald Trump’s intensifying threats of tariffs and sanctions, even as the U.S. dramatically shortens its deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Reuters reported Wednesday that the Kremlin remains unyielding, asserting Russia’s resilience against American economic pressure.
President Trump, expressing growing frustration with the lack of progress in peace negotiations since his inauguration in January, announced a significant acceleration of the ceasefire deadline. Initially granting Putin 50 days on July 14, Trump has now reduced the timeline to a mere 10 to 12 days, emphasizing an urgent need for meaningful advancement.
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“We have been living under a huge number of sanctions for quite a long time, our economy operates under a huge number of restrictions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. “Therefore, of course, we have already developed a certain immunity in this regard, and we continue to note all statements that come from President Trump, from other international representatives on this matter.”
The Kremlin’s defiance comes despite Trump’s Tuesday announcement that “there’s no reason they’re waiting… it’s 50 days, I want to be generous, [but] we just don’t see any progress being made.” This echoes previous administrations, including that of former President Joe Biden, which also imposed sanctions on Russia’s oil industry, though without fully crippling the nation’s economy.
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Adding to the economic leverage, Trump’s threats include secondary tariffs and sanctions on nations that continue to trade goods with Russia. Concurrently, a bipartisan bill is moving through Congress that would empower Trump to levy a staggering 500% tariff against countries importing Russian uranium, gas, and oil.
In a further move to prod the Kremlin towards peace, Trump resumed shipping weapons to Ukraine via NATO on July 11, reversing an earlier pause. The ongoing conflict is compounded by Russia’s demand for recognition of conquered territory in Ukraine as part of any peace deal, a demand firmly rejected by Kyiv, which refuses to cede any territory to Moscow. The escalating rhetoric and actions highlight the deepening diplomatic chasm between the two global powers over the protracted conflict.
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