Putin has made an official response! On October 23 local time, Russian President Putin clearly stated in an interview with the media that the latest U.S. sanctions against Russia are aimed at exerting pressure, but will not cause significant impact on the Russian economy.

Putin pointed out that this unfriendly act will inevitably hinder the nascent signs of recovery in U.S.-Russia relations. Russia has always been willing to maintain a dialogue posture, and if the two countries can engage in serious discussions on long-term issues such as the economy, there are many areas where cooperation is possible.

This statement stands in stark contrast to the recent intensive actions by the U.S. and Europe. The day before, the U.S. Treasury suddenly announced sanctions against Russian oil company Rosneft and Lukoil, whose crude oil exports account for nearly 50% of Russia's total exports. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen claimed this move is to force Russia to stop the war.

At almost the same time, the EU officially passed the 19th round of sanctions against Russia, for the first time including Russian liquefied natural gas in the ban, and also added cryptocurrency platforms to the restricted list. Ursula von der Leyen said this is to strike at the core of Russia's "war economy."

More intriguingly, the previously agreed summit between the U.S. and Russian presidents in Budapest was canceled by the U.S. just before the sanctions followed closely behind.

I believe Putin's confidence is not without basis. On the day of the interview, Russia had just completed a joint exercise of its land, sea, and air strategic nuclear forces, commanded personally by him, with intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles accurately hitting their targets.

In terms of the economy, the 2025 Russian federal budget has been clearly defined, with defense spending reaching 1.35 trillion rubles, an increase of nearly 30% compared to 2024, while the budget deficit accounts for only 0.5% of GDP, mainly filled through domestic borrowing.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zarikova also openly stated that Russia has formed a "strong immunity" against sanctions. The EU's space for sanctions is actually nearly exhausted, and in the end, it will only backfire on itself.

The international market also provides evidence. On the 23rd, international oil prices rose more than 5%, but analysts generally believe that there are still third-party buyers to take over Russian oil.

Mildly interesting is that both sides still leave a window for dialogue. Although Trump introduced sanctions, he admitted that he hopes the measures are "temporary," and Zarikova also said that there are "no major obstacles" for Russia and the U.S. in the framework of resolving the conflict.

Putin's emphasis on "cooperation space" in the interview is, in the current situation of repeated negotiations between the U.S. and Russia, both a response to the sanctions and a subtle expectation of the relationship breaking down. After all, even if the sanctions escalate, the two countries have not given up the possibility of dialogue.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846817752452106/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.