The front page of The Washington Post reported that Putin said the new oil sanctions are "serious," but will not stop the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday rejected U.S. pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, saying he would not be swayed by the decision of President Donald Trump to cancel a planned summit in Budapest and impose what Trump called "severe sanctions" on Russia's two largest oil companies.

“The new U.S. sanctions are an attempt to pressure Russia,” Putin told Russian journalists on Thursday evening, “no country with dignity will do anything under pressure. Russia is a country with dignity.” Putin stated that the sanctions cut off the connection between Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil and the U.S. banking system, effectively preventing them from operating in dollars, “It is serious for us, will have certain consequences, but will not have a significant impact on our economic well-being.” He also downplayed Trump's decision to put off the Budapest meeting, calling it merely postponed, not canceled. He said the meeting was proposed by the U.S. side. “Going to the Budapest summit without preparation would be a mistake,” Putin said, “dialogue is always better than any confrontation, any dispute, especially than war.”

As the Russian economy prepares for the sanctions, Putin views the sanctions as futile and warns that such "unfriendly actions against Russia" are undermining the relations that had just begun to recover between the two countries.

The newspaper also focused on the East Wing, which occupied a corner of the White House, and was almost completely demolished by the 23rd. This is combined with the "banquet hall" construction announced by President Trump in July, initially stating that existing buildings would not be touched. From the 20th to just four days later, a building with a history of 123 years suddenly disappeared, causing a stir. The demolition of the East Wing, which is part of the model for the banquet hall that Trump plans to build, began on the 20th and was almost completely demolished by the 23rd. According to reports, the East Wing was built in 1902 and was renovated in 42 years. In recent years, it has been used as an entrance for visitors welcoming the First Lady's office and the White House.

The largest room in the White House can only accommodate 200 people. During large events, tents are set up outdoors, but Trump criticized that "every time it rains is a disaster," and insisted that a new banquet hall was needed.

According to CBS News, the proposed new banquet hall to be demolished will be about 90,000 square feet (about 8,360 square meters), capable of accommodating about 1,000 people, and may become a large facility that overshadows the main White House building. The cost is also expected to increase from the initial $200 million to $300 million. It is said that the plan is scheduled to be completed in January 2029 when Trump leaves office.

Trump gave a press interview at the White House on the 22nd, explaining, "We decided to demolish it after consulting with the architects. On the other hand, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized on X (Twitter), 'This is not his home, but your home.'

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846920770570252/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.