United States President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on Russia for the first time since returning to the White House, citing a lack of progress in ceasefire talks to end Moscow’s war on Ukraine. The same day, European Union leaders approved their 19th Russian sanctions package.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions would target Russia’s two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, due to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “refusal to end this senseless war” in Ukraine and Moscow’s “lack of serious commitment” to the peace process.

“Today’s actions increase pressure on Russia’s energy sector and degrade the Kremlin’s ability to raise revenue for its war machine and support its weakened economy,” Bessent said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We encourage our allies t

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