The US and European Union are moving in tandem to escalate collective pressure on the Kremlin, with Washington sanctioning Russia’s top two oil companies and Brussels preparing a new, hard-hitting sanctions package.
The Trump administration targeted Rosneft and Lukoil, a move aimed at the “lifeblood of Putin’s economy.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the sanctions were a direct response to Putin’s “refusal to end this senseless war” and urged allies to follow suit. The UK has already sanctioned both firms.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the US action, confirming she had spoken with Bessent. “With the imminent adoption of the EU’s 19th [sanctions] package, this is a clear signal from both sides of the Atlantic that we will keep up collective pressure on the aggressor,” she wrote.
The EU’s upcoming package is expected to be aggressive, including a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), blacklisting ships in Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers, and targeting banks that help Russia evade existing sanctions.
The coordinated pressure marks a victory for Ukraine, which had watched with concern as the Trump administration previously appeared to push Kyiv toward ceding territory. The new sanctions, combined with President Trump’s cancellation of a Putin summit, signal a significant hardening of the Western stance.