The Kremlin on Monday criticised new US sanctions imposed on Russia, saying that President Donald Trump's signing of them would not help restore relations between Moscow and Washington or advance efforts to reach a settlement to the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said increased economic pressure on Moscow would negatively affect Russian-US relations and would not contribute to progress towards ending the war.
US law expands tools for pressuring Moscow
The position conflicts with the Trump administration's view, which presented the new measures as a means of increasing pressure on Russia and forcing it to accept terms for a settlement. The Russian statements came after Trump signed, on 18 September, the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026”.
The law expands the scope of sanctions, tariffs, prohibitions and legal restrictions linked to Russia, giving Washington additional tools for applying economic pressure on it. During discussions on the law, the US administration said the tools it contained were intended to push Moscow to accept terms for ending the war.
The White House also said when the legislation was signed that it expanded sanctions, tariffs and prohibitions related to Russia, in a new step under US economic pressure policy. The law was passed as the dispute between Moscow and Washington continues over the terms needed to end the war in Ukraine, while ongoing diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a final agreement.
Kremlin counts on partners to reduce the impact of sanctions
The Kremlin believes tightening restrictions will not bring the two sides' positions closer, but will make it more difficult to improve bilateral relations and achieve progress towards a settlement. Regarding the consequences of the sanctions, the Kremlin said Russia had found ways to limit the impact of the US measures and was continuing contacts with its trading partners.
It added, according to its account, that those partners had told Moscow they did not accept the sanctions policy pursued by the United States. The Kremlin said Moscow was working with its trading partners to reduce the impact of the new restrictions, noting that Russia had developed mechanisms in recent years for dealing with the sanctions imposed on it.
Moscow insists it has managed to limit some of the impact of Western restrictions on its economy and that imposing additional measures will not advance the peace process. In a separate matter, the Kremlin rejected statements accusing Russia of threatening Europe, describing them as “false and unacceptable”. The response comes as disagreements between Russia and European countries continue over the war in Ukraine and related policies.
Russian-German dispute over energy and politics
The Kremlin also discussed the situation in Germany, saying that a significant part of the problems it faces was, according to Russia's position, due to Berlin's halt in purchasing low-priced Russian gas and its turn instead to more expensive sources, foremost among them gas from the United States.
It also commented on the results of the German election and the rise of the far right, saying Moscow was observing a decline in the popularity of Germany's current authorities.
This assessment did not lessen the existing disagreements between Moscow and Berlin over the war in Ukraine, as Russia links some of Germany's current problems to Berlin's choices in the energy sector.
