New sanctions won't force Russia to change course, Kremlin says

As Western allies ponder implementing harsher sanctions on Russia amid its ongoing war in Ukraine, the Kremlin on Sept. 8 denied that additional economic pressure will force the country to change course.

"No sanctions will be able to force the Russian Federation to change the consistent position that our president has repeatedly spoken about," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a Russian state media reporter.

The comments come as the European Union is preparing a 19th package of sanctions targeting Russian banks and the energy sector, Bloomberg reported Sept. 8. U.S. President Donald Trump has also repeatedly threatened to implement secondary sanction on Russian oil if Moscow's invasion continues, although he has yet to do so.

Peskov further claimed that sanction "turned out to be absolutely useless in terms of exerting pressure on Russia."

Despite Peskov's claims, sanction have undeniably played an impact on Russia's economic fortunes, vastly limiting the country's trade with international partners, and weakening the country's ability to sell oil to fuel the country's war machine.

Following an initial economic surge led by the country's defense industry following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Russia's economy has continued to face uncertainty amid high inflation, slowed economic growth, and near-record interest rates.

Despite the challenges faced by Russia's economy, Moscow has shown no indication it is ready to halt its war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly repeatedly refused to attend an in-person meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia says the quiet part out loud — war in Ukraine to continue, more mass bombings of cities

“Today we will clarify the tasks of the troop groups in the directions for the autumn period,” Valery Gerasimov said.

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

Russian military officials have echoed the Kremlin's sentiments, with the chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, Valery Gerasimov stating on Aug. 30 that "the implementation of the tasks of the (full-scale invasion of Ukraine) by the Joint Group of Troops will continue by conducting offensive actions."

Russia has continued to launch attacks at Ukrainian cities in recent weeks.

Overnight on Sept. 7, Moscow launched its largest-ever drone attack on Ukraine, killing at least 5 people and injured 44 others. The attack also struck a government building, the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv, for the first time.

In recent days, Trump has claimed that he is prepared to begin a "second phase" of sanctions on Russia, as U.S. officials have grown increasingly critical of Russia's attacks on civilians.

Zelensky said on Sept. 7 following the large-scale attack on Kyiv that Ukraine is "counting on a strong reaction from America. This is what is needed." The U.S. president has repeatedly called on the United States to implement further economic pressure to weaken Moscow's war machine.

Charred walls, splintered floors: Inside Ukraine’s government headquarters after a devastating Russian attack

The smell of smoke grew stronger as you approached Ukraine’s main government building. A day prior, Russian forces hit the Cabinet of Ministers with an Iskander missile, damaging the headquarters of the country’s executive authority, engulfing its upper floors in flame. “The fire spread quickly,” said Andrii Danyk, head of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, standing in front of the building’s scorched walls. The 5-meter-wide hole in what used to be the wall overlooked a roughly 3-meter-wide h

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova