Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday vowed to keep communication channels open with the United States, even as tensions rose following President Donald Trump's decision to postpone a planned summit and warn of a potentially "overwhelming" response if Ukraine were to obtain and use US-made Tomahawk missiles, as per news agency AFP.
"Dialogue is always better than confrontation or any disputes, and especially war. We have always supported the continuation of dialogue," Putin told journalists.
However, he cautioned that any attack on Russia using Tomahawk missiles would draw a severe reaction. "The response would be very strong, if not overwhelming," he said.
Putin also addressed the latest round of US sanctions, calling them an "unfriendly" act. He said the measures would "have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being," adding that Russia's energy sector "feels confident."
"This is, of course, an attempt to put pressure on Russia," he continued. "But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever decides anything under pressure."
The Russian leader warned that destabilising the global energy balance could backfire on Washington. Disruptions, he said, might trigger a price hike that would be "uncomfortable for countries such as the United States," especially in light of its "internal political calendar."
The US restrictions target Moscow's two largest oil companies as part of its measures against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The fallout is immediate — China and India, Russia's top buyers, are expected to sharply cut crude imports from Moscow to comply with the sanctions.
A drop in demand from these two markets threatens to strain Russia's oil revenues and push global prices higher as importers scramble for alternative supplies.
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