The Trump administration has delivered a new economic blow to Russia by imposing stricter sanctions on its oil, gas, and banking sectors. According to CBS News, these measures aim to strangle Russian energy transactions by further restricting its banks’ access to U.S. payment systems, as part of a broader strategy to pressure Moscow in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In a critical move, the U.S. Treasury Department has decided not to renew the 60-day exemption introduced in January by former President Joe Biden. This means that major Russian financial institutions—such as Vnesheconombank, Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, and even the Central Bank of Russia—will lose access to these crucial financial networks.
The impact of these sanctions extends beyond Russia. By making it harder for other countries to purchase Russian oil, crude prices could rise by as much as $5 per barrel, potentially affecting the global economy. This move comes at a pivotal moment, as the Trump administration seeks to pressure Vladimir Putin into accepting a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, an agreement that Volodymyr Zelensky has already endorsed.
Sources close to the White House confirm that these sanctions are a key bargaining tool in the U.S. strategy to end the invasion. Washington has made it clear that it will continue tightening restrictions until Moscow concedes and halts hostilities.
