US President Donald Trump on Monday defended his administration’s energy trade decisions, citing the European Union’s payments to Russia for energy supplies, as the bloc announced fresh sanctions targeting Moscow’s military-industrial network.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that the European Union had paid Russia USD 250 billion for energy and accused sections of the media of avoiding coverage of the issue.
“The European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn’t want to get near that story,” Trump wrote.
Defending his decision to permit Russian diesel exports, the US President said his administration had acted in the interests of American citizens, reiterating his ‘America First’ approach to policy.
His remarks come amid continuing debate over international energy trade, dependence on Russian supplies and the economic measures imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced new restrictive measures targeting individuals and companies linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex and elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories.
According to a European Council press release, the latest package covers 1,569 individuals and entities, including 826 Russian companies and 743 individuals serving as chief executive officers of those companies.
The measures bring the total number of individuals and entities listed under the EU sanctions regime aimed at supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity to nearly 4,600, the Council said.
The latest restrictions focus on mid-level suppliers considered part of Russia’s military-industrial supply chain. The targeted companies collectively generate an annual turnover of at least 20 billion euros and employ more than 250,000 people, according to the European Council.
Kallas has maintained that sustained economic pressure on Moscow is necessary to bring the war to an end.
