Putin says Russia won't cave under US sanctions, claims Budapest summit 'postponed'
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 23 denounced new U.S. sanctions as an attempt to coerce Moscow, declaring that Russia would not yield to the pressure.
Talking to journalists, Putin said that "no self-respecting country does anything under pressure."
The comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump, for the first time, imposed sanctions against Russia, targeting the country's energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil.
The new penalties, intended to pressure Moscow into accepting a ceasefire in Ukraine, follow the collapse of planned diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Russia.
Trump and Putin were previously scheduled to meet in Budapest at an unspecified date, but the White House later announced that the summit had been canceled.
The Kremlin's chief described the sanctions as an "unfriendly act" that would harm Russia-U.S. relations, but sought to downplay their potential impact on the Russian economy.
The EU has also ramped up its economic pressure on Moscow, approving its 19th sanctions package on Oct. 23 that targeted banks, energy revenues, and networks involved in circumventing existing restrictions.
Commenting on the summit, the Russian leader said that the event was "postponed" rather than canceled, adding it would be a mistake to hold it without necessary preparations. The U.S. side proposed the meeting and its location, he claimed.
Putin reiterated that Russia remains ready for dialogue. Trump, in turn, did not rule out meeting Putin "in the future."
Recent weeks were marked by unexpected turnarounds in U.S. policy. Trump initially suggested arming Ukraine with powerful Tomahawk missiles, but dropped the idea soon after in favor of a new meeting with Putin.
After preliminary talks for the Budapest summit hit roadblocks, Trump pivoted again and slapped new sanctions on Moscow.
The Wall Street Journal also recently reported that the U.S. authorized Ukraine to launch Western long-range missiles deep inside Russian territory, though Trump has refuted that claim.
Putin warned that Ukraine striking Russia with long-range U.S. weapons would be met with an overwhelming response, echoing his long-standing threats over Kyiv's use of Western arms.
Tania Myronyshena
