Russian invasion The world's response

Experts: Sanctions unlikely to affect Putin

The new US sanctions on two Russian oil giants are unlikely to affect Russia's war goals, according to analysts the New York Times spoke to.

Russian companies have long been prepared for new sanctions – and Trump could change his mind, says Tatyana Stanovaja of the research firm R. Politik.

“(The Russians) will shrug their shoulders and say, ‘Okay, he’ll calm down in three months.’ For Putin, this war is existential, and he’s ready to endure a lot.

The experts also note that over the years Russia has become very adept at circumventing sanctions with its shadow fleet and through trade with third countries.

Analysis: A punch in the gut for Russia

Rosneft and Lukoil are the two engines that pump money through the veins of the Russian military - the US's new sanctions against the oil giants are a punch in the gut for Moscow's war machine, writes David Blevins in an analysis for Sky News.

At the same time, it is not without risk for the US - pressuring the Russian oil sector could backfire on both the global and domestic markets, he continues.

"The White House is betting that the geopolitical gains will ultimately trump the domestic pain."

Trump once again seems to have tired of treading water on the Ukraine issue, says SR's US correspondent Simon Isaksson.

With the sanctions against the oil giants, the White House wants to signal that it is not satisfied with the talks with Putin and wants to push for something concrete, he continues.

– They want to hit Russia where it counts.

Zelenskyj to the EU: Use the Russian billions

The question of whether the frozen Russian billions should be invested in helping Ukraine in the war is high on the agenda during the ongoing EU summit.

Volodymyr Zelenskyj, who is a guest, urges the EU to use the assets as quickly as possible for defense against Russian aggression. Most of the equivalent of around 2000 billion kronor is in Belgium.

– There is a great risk. We could be hit by enormous claims for damages, says the country's Prime Minister Bart De Wever according to TT.

The country has three demands: that the risk is shared by all EU countries, that all countries are involved and pay if necessary, and that frozen assets in other countries are also used.

Sweden is in favor of using the assets. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson notes that there are risks in doing so, but also risks in doing nothing.