Days after canceling a planned summit with Putin, citing a lack of progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, Trump took a major step by effectively blacklisting Rosneft and Lukoil.

Russia’s president downplayed the latest US sanctions as an “unfriendly act” which he claims would not have much impact on Russia’s economy or its stance on Moscow’s war in Ukraine. His comments were largely dismissed by Donald Trump,

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was delighted to learn last week that Russia and the United States had chosen his country as the venue for another summit on ending the war in Ukraine.

Vladimir Solovyov, a broadcaster with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has condemned U.S. President Donald Trump over tough sanctions announced against Russian oil giants that could deal a blow to Moscow’s war machine.

For months, President Donald Trump resisted calls to slap new sanctions on Russia, believing he could end the war in a deal with Vladimir Putin — including with a quick peace summit in the coming weeks in Budapest.