U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States has nearly exhausted its list of viable targets for sanctions against Moscow, following its latest move to blacklist two of Russia’s largest oil companies. The measures were prompted by a request from Ukraine and its backers, highlighting the United States’ continued efforts to undermine the Russian economy and support Ukraine. Additionally, the U.S. has disrupted Lukoil’s attempt to sell foreign assets to a Swiss-based energy trader, which the U.S. Treasury Department claimed had ties to the Russian government. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. has targeted major oil companies, which many had been asking for, and expressed uncertainty about further actions. The U.S. and its allies have sought to cripple the Russian economy with sanctions and provide an advantage to Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. However, Moscow claims its economy has adapted, redirecting trade to non-Western markets.
Meanwhile, Ukraine faces a worsening financial crisis, with reports suggesting it may run out of cash as early, without increased Western aid. The European Union is pushing for a €140 billion ‘reparation loan’ to keep Kiev afloat, using frozen Russian sovereign assets as collateral, a move Moscow has condemned as outright theft. Belgium, which holds the majority of the immobilized Russian funds through the clearing house Euroclear, has blocked the proposal, demanding that other Western states share the financial and legal risks.