Russia has developed a “certain immunity” to Western sanctions and adapted to life under them, the Kremlin said Friday, after the European Union approved its 18th package of sanctions against Moscow — this time targeting the country’s lucrative oil sector. The new EU measures include an effort to lower the G7’s price cap on Russian crude oil to $47.6 per barrel, Reuters reported, citing European diplomats. Asked about the sanctions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called them “one-sided” and “illegal”, describing them as consistent with Europe’s “anti-Russian stance”. “But at the same time, of course, we have already acquired a certain immunity from sanctions, we have adapted to life under sanctions,” Peskov told reporters. He said Moscow would analyse the new package to minimise its effects, but added that sanctions ultimately hurt their own backers. “Each new sanctions package brings a negative effect for the countries that back it. This is a double-edged weapon.” According to Reuters, Russian government and trading sources also downplayed the latest restrictions, expressing doubt that they would meaningfully disrupt the country’s oil trade. This comes amid US President Donald Trump's growing frustration with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Earlier, this week, he accused the Russian leader of pretending to seek peace while escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities. He also warned that Russia now faces a 50-day deadline to pursue a genuine peace deal or risk 100% tariffs on all Russian imports. More significantly, the President threatened sweeping "secondary tariffs" targeting countries that continue trading with Moscow, especially by purchasing Russian oil and other key commodities. “The secondary tariffs are very, very powerful,” Trump said.
