US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an interview with CBS News, called Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev a "Russian propagandist." This is reported by UNN.
Details
Commenting on Dmitriev's statement that the sanctions imposed by the US on Rosneft and Lukoil companies would have absolutely no effect on the Russian economy, Bessent replied that "Russia will feel the pain immediately."
Are you really going to publish what a Russian propagandist says? I mean, what else will he say? That, oh, it's going to be terrible, and it's going to bring Putin to the negotiating table? Of course, the Russian economy is a wartime economy. Growth is practically zero. Inflation, I believe, is over 20%, and everything we do will lead to Putin sitting down at the negotiating table.
He added that oil finances the Russian war machine, "and I think we can significantly reduce his (Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's - ed.) profits."
"They seem to use the phrase: 'We have immunized the economy against this.' Well, they haven't immunized the economy. Their oil revenues are down 20% compared to last year. I suspect that could lead to them falling another 20 or 30%. President Trump was criticized for not doing enough. He makes his bold move, and then you quote a Russian propagandist," Bessent concluded.
Recall
During a recent visit to the US, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev stated that American oil sanctions would backfire and that "this will only lead to higher gas prices at American gas stations."