Trump administration announces sanctions on Russian companies: ‘Stop the killing’

Secretary demanded that US allies join the sanctions. All assets of people linked to oil companies and their subsidiaries (see list here) that are in the United States or under the possession or control of US citizens are blocked and must be reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Foreign financial institutions that carry out significant transactions or provide services involving Russia’s military-industrial base may be sanctioned. “OFAC may prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintenance in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person designated in accordance with the competent authority,” the statement reads.

Meeting between Trump and Putin

Sanctions come the day after news that Trump has ruled out a meeting in the coming days with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There are no plans for President Trump to meet with Putin in the immediate future,” a US government source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Last week, the American had said he could meet with Putin in Budapest, Hungary. The meeting was scheduled to take place between this and next week, as announced by the US president himself.

Trump hosted Putin in Alaska in August. It was the first time that the Russian leader set foot on Western soil since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the time, the American admitted his frustration with Putin after boasting for a long time that he could end the war in one day upon returning to the White House, due to his personal chemistry with the Russian leader.