New U.S. Sanctions Will Harm Ukraine Peace Talks and Bilateral Ties, Kremlin Says

Sep. 21, 2026 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Sputnik / Alexander Kazakov / Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to sign a law expanding sanctions on Russia will hinder efforts to end the war in Ukraine and further damage relations between Moscow and Washington, the Kremlin said Monday. “The signing of this document is certainly something that doesn’t contribute to the resuscitation of our bilateral relations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing. “It is also of course unlikely to contribute to more successful progress along the path toward a settlement in Ukraine,” Peskov said. The law, which Trump signed Friday, authorizes the U.S. president to impose punitive tariffs of up to 100% on China, India and other countries over their purchases of Russian oil and gas. Peskov, who was careful not to criticize Trump directly, said Russia’s trading partners “unanimously reject” the tariffs, which would act as secondary sanctions. Earlier on Monday, India’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said New Delhi was studying the details of the tariffs, which have yet to be imposed. Indian officials had said last week that the country intends to maintain energy imports through “diversified sourcing.” The Chinese commerce ministry said this weekend that Beijing reserves the right to “take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard China’s national sovereignty and development interests, as well as the legitimate and just rights and interests of Chinese companies.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Trump for signing the sanctions legislation, the initial version of which was introduced into the Senate by the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. Zelensky also said he is scheduled to meet with the U.S. president in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week. Russia’s Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev called for a military response to the U.S. sanctions legislation. “Even across the ocean, they hear only the language of direct military deterrence, and that’s the language in which we should respond to Russophobic atrocities such as the law of the dead terrorist Graham,” Medvedev said. Reuters and AFP contributed reporting. Read more about: Sanctions , United States Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more U.S. Extends Russian Oil Waiver for a Second Time The temporary general license, which had been allowed to lapse over the weekend, is now effective until June 17. 2 Min read U.S. Lifts Sanctions on 3 Russian Cargo Vessels Linked to Exports From Occupied Ukraine The vessels are reported to have ties to Russian war finance, government insiders and the export of resources extracted from occupied Ukraine. 2 Min read U.S. Proposed Russian Sanctions Relief as Part of Ukraine Peace Deal – Bloomberg The reported ceasefire proposal would also freeze the war along current front lines, effectively leaving occupied Ukrainian territory under Russian control... 2 Min read U.S. Charges 3 More Russians Over Sanctions Evasion Federal prosecutors charged the trio with four counts, including conspiracy to export electronic components for Russian drones. 2 Min read