Putin hits back at Trump's 'unfriendly act' after US sanctions Russia’s biggest oil firms

The Russian leader said the US president is hoping to put pressure on the Kremlin amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.

"Dialogue is always better than war", Mr Putin declared as his forces continued to pound Ukraine with missile strikes.

He added that his meeting with Mr Trump had not been cancelled, rather it had been "postponed".

The US Treasury announced the penalties on Rosneft and Lukoil on Wednesday, just a day after it was confirmed that a planned meeting between the US President and the Russian leader in Budapest had been shelved.

Since the meeting was announced, Russia has not relented in its bombing campaign on its invaded neighbour, killing seven people including two children in its latest wave of missile and drone strikes.

"Given President Putin's refusal to end this senseless war, the Treasury is sanctioning Russia's two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin's war machine," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

He said that "now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire," adding that his department will "take further action if necessary to support President Trump's effort to end yet another war".

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte, Mr Trump said he keeps having conversations with Putin that "don't go anywhere".

"I would say that it's time to make a deal. A lot of people are dying."

But now, the US is attempting to pile pressure on Moscow as it scrambles to turn the tide.

"I think that they'll certainly have an impact," Mr Trump told reporters.

He added: "They're massive sanctions, and sanctions on oil, the two biggest oil companies, among the biggest in the world. Hopefully it'll push [Putin].

"Hopefully he'll become reasonable, and hopefully Zelenskyy will be reasonable too. It takes two to tango, as they say."

It comes after Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a ceasefire is "still possible" as he called on Europe and the US to put more pressure on Russia.

Mr Zelenskyy met with Mr Trump in Washington last week, where the Ukrainian leader failed to secure a long-range US missile deal.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Mr Zelensky said Mr Trump backed away from the possibility of sending the missiles after a phone call with Putin, which took place just hours before the two leaders met on Friday.

Reports suggest Mr Zelenskyy, who had travelled to Washington to request increased US military support to fight Russia's war in Ukraine, was met with raised voices and condemnation by Mr Trump and his cabinet as the pair discussed the war during a heated discussion.

Mr Trump was reportedly seen to spout Putin's rhetoric, echoing that the conflict was a "special operation" and "not even a war."

Mr Trump is said to have even urged Mr Zelenskyy to give up key areas of Ukraine and cave to Putin's demands.

"In my opinion, he does not want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them," Mr Zelenskyy said.

"After many rounds of discussion over more than two hours with him and his team, his message, in my view, is positive," he said, adding that Washington remained interested in economic deals with Kyiv.