Putin: US sanctions were an unexpected decision

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the severe sanctions imposed by the United States on major oil companies such as "LUKOIL" and "Rosneft" an unexpected situation. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to him, it is difficult to explain this decision because there have been no serious conflicts or clashes between Moscow and Washington in recent years. Putin expressed these views during a press conference held during his visit to Kyrgyzstan.

He recalled that during the negotiations in Anchorage, there was hope that the two countries could reach certain agreements on security issues. "During the talks, it seemed we had reached a point of mutual understanding.

However, suddenly, without any warning, the United States announced the sanctions. This decision was also incomprehensible to me," he said.

In October, the US Treasury Department imposed comprehensive restrictions on "LUKOIL," "Rosneft," and their subsidiaries. These sanctions include freezing all assets of the companies in the US and prohibiting American companies and individuals from any business relations with them.

After the sanctions were announced, "LUKOIL" stated that it was looking for buyers to sell its foreign assets. At the same time, it was noted that the price of Russia's "Urals" oil fell by 23 percent compared to "Brent."

This indicates the impact of the sanctions and market instability. According to experts, this move by the US may mark a new stage in geopolitical processes and lead to a further serious cooling in Moscow–Washington relations.