Medvedev Calls New U.S. Sanctions an “Act of War,” Labels Washington Russia’s Enemy

The Big Picture

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday escalated his rhetoric against Washington, addressing the United States as Russia’s “enemy” and declaring that President Donald Trump’s recent actions “constitute an act of war.” He laid out the arguments in a lengthy post on Telegram. Additional references to his Telegram post are unlinked.

What’s New

The comments followed fresh U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia’s largest two oil companies and the cancellation of a planned Trump–Putin summit in Budapest. The United States Department of the Treasury said Wednesday that the measures targeted Rosneft and Lukoil to lower revenue that funds Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine. European governments, in their turn, introduced a new set of sanctions on the financial and energy industries in Russia, the Council of the European Union told. References to Treasury and Council are without links.

What They’re Saying

Context

What Medvedev wrote in his posting (translated from Russian)

• The United States is Russia’s “adversary,” and Trump—whom he contemptuously addresses as a “talkative peacemaker”—has “completely taken the warpath with Russia.”
• Latest U.S. actions, including new sanctions, are “an act of war” against Russia.
• Trump canceled a planned summit with Vladimir Putin in Budapest and has now “aligned” himself with Europe, which he loathes as “loony” or hysterical.
• Alibis that Trump faced pressure from Congress “do not change the main point,” in Medvedev’s version: the actions still amount to an act of hostility.
• Russia, he states, can safely bomb “nationalist” targets in Ukraine with assorted weapons, observe battlefield outcomes, and ignore “meaningless” negotiations or “deals.”
• He proposes the United States could bring in more weapons than Tomahawk missiles, offering sanctions and potential arm measures as part of an all-out confrontation.

What’s Next

Medvedev’s remarks come after Washington hardened pressure on Moscow’s energy industry. Treasury announced that the sanctions package freezes property and property interests of listed companies and aims to pressure the Kremlin into accepting a cease-fire. The EU’s 19th sanctions package aims restrictions in energy and finance as well as tightening controls on Russian diplomatic travel within the bloc.

Trump this week canceled a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest, saying that he didn’t think the timing and potential were worth it, The Associated Press reports. All other AP references are not linked.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry called Western sanctions counterproductive and says the government will continue to build its economy and oil output despite the limitations.

The Bottom Line

Medvedev’s post frames U.S. sanctions as a direct confrontation and signals Moscow’s intent to prioritize battlefield action over negotiations, while Washington and Brussels tighten financial and energy pressure to constrain Russia’s war effort.

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