Muhammad Irfan 
The True Post (Web News) Russian President Vladimir Putin, reacting strongly to the new sanctions imposed by the United States, has clearly stated that Russia will not bow to American pressure under any circumstances.
The Russian president described the US actions as “unfriendly and provocative” and said that such measures would further weaken relations between the two countries. Putin said that no sovereign country makes decisions under pressure, but he acknowledged that the new sanctions could have some impact on the Russian economy. However, he said that Russia would take all possible steps to protect its sovereignty and national interests.
It should be noted that the US imposed new sanctions on two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, yesterday. According to US officials, the aim of these measures is to increase economic pressure on Russia and bring President Putin to the negotiating table to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The US Treasury Department says that putting pressure on the Russian energy sector will reduce the Kremlin’s financial capacity, but the Russian government argues that these sanctions will also be harmful to Western countries by increasing instability in the global energy market. Putin added in his statement that **“Russia determines its own policy and will not follow the dictates of any external power.” According to him, no matter how many sanctions Western countries impose, Russia will remain steadfast in protecting its people and national dignity.
