Trump says Russian oil sanctions will stay in force during peace plan talks

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that sanctions on Russian oil will remain in place throughout discussions of the American “peace plan.”

Trump made the remarks while answering questions during a Fox News podcast hosted by Brian Kilmeade.

When asked whether Washington might consider pausing the sanctions imposed on Lukoil and Rosneft while negotiations on the peace initiative continue, the president dismissed the possibility.

“They [the sanctions – ed.] go in very soon, and they are very powerful. Very powerful. I mean, it makes it very hard to sell oil. That's a big thing. You know, their [Russia's – ed.] whole economy is based on oil,” Trump said.

He added that he has no intention of easing any of the restrictions in the foreseeable future.

The United States introduced sanctions last month against Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, targeting their crude oil exports and limiting their access to international financial services. These measures, which took effect on November 21, are intended to restrict Russia’s oil revenues and intensify pressure on the Kremlin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The restrictions are already affecting Russia’s shipments to India, with major Indian refiners expecting imports to drop to almost zero. Company executives have indicated that the latest US sanctions will make further purchases of Russian crude nearly impossible.

By Tamilla Hasanova