As France and the EU push for tighter sanctions on Moscow, the Kremlin insists only reasoned dialogue – not economic pressure – will bring Russia to the negotiating table.
The Kremlin has warned that the more severe the European sanctions on Russia become, the greater the economic blowback for Europe itself – as Russia claims it has become increasingly resilient to what it continues to describe as “illegal” measures.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been among the most vocal Western leaders urging tougher sanctions, suggesting they could compel Moscow to come to the negotiating table over the war in Ukraine.
The European Commission echoed that stance earlier this month, unveiling a new round of proposed sanctions on 10 June. These are aimed at curbing Moscow’s energy income, targeting its banking sector, and squeezing its military-industrial base.
France leads EU push for tougher Russia sanctions amid ceasefire stalemate
Despite such efforts, Russia remains defiant. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television that only “logic and arguments” could persuade Russia to engage in peace talks – not economic pressure.
“The harsher the sanctions package – which we still regard as illegal – the stronger the recoil, like a gun kicking back against the shoulder. It’s a double-edged sword,” Peskov said in comments aired on Sunday.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered an unprecedented wave of Western sanctions, making it the most heavily sanctioned major economy in the world.
Europe tightens sanctions on Russia as pressure builds on Washington
Economic growth, despite sanctions
While Russia’s economy did contract in 2022, it rebounded strongly, growing faster than the European Union in both 2023 and 2024.
President Vladimir Putin pointed out on Friday that Russia’s economy grew by 4.3 percent in 2024, significantly outpacing the euro zone’s 0.9 percent expansion.
Although Brussels is pushing ahead with tougher measures, the United States has so far held off on strengthening its own sanctions package.
Peskov acknowledged that more EU sanctions were likely, but insisted Russia had developed considerable “resistance” to Western economic pressure.
