EU sanctions against Russia ‘failed’ – US Treasury Secretary — RT World News

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently expressed strong criticism of the European Union's approach to sanctions against Russia, labeling the strategy as ineffective. Speaking to NBC News, Bessent highlighted that Brussels has implemented 19 consecutive rounds of sanctions targeting Moscow, yet these measures have not achieved their intended results. He argued that repeating the same approach nearly twenty times without success suggests a fundamental failure in strategy. According to Bessent, the EU’s sanctions packages, which have included restrictions on Russian banks, crypto exchanges, and businesses from India and China, have not only failed to weaken Russia but have paradoxically ended up funding Moscow’s war efforts indirectly. The latest sanctions package, introduced just last month, marks the 19th attempt by the EU to pressure Moscow amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite these efforts, Russia has consistently dismissed Western sanctions as futile, warning that such attempts may cause more harm to the sanctioning countries themselves. Within the EU, the sanctions have also stirred division. Countries such as Hungary and Slovakia have voiced opposition to the current punitive approach, advocating instead for diplomatic engagement and a reconsideration of strategy. Bessent emphasized that while the US combines diplomatic initiatives with economic pressure on Russia, the EU lags behind in this regard. He recalled EU officials informing him about plans for yet another sanctions round and expressed skepticism about the efficacy of continuously applying similar punitive measures. Beyond Russia, he also criticized the EU for failing to adopt an aggressive tariff strategy against China and India, particularly regarding their ongoing importation of products made with Russian oil. This contrasts sharply with the US stance, where former President Donald Trump pushed NATO allies to impose broad trade tariffs on Beijing, a policy now intensified by the current administration’s so-called "trade war" against China. In line with this, Washington has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports linked to Russian oil purchases, a move that New Delhi has condemned as unfair and unjustified. The US stance signals a more aggressive and multifaceted approach to leveraging economic tools in geopolitical conflicts. Vice President J. D. Vance echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the EU for having unrealistic expectations about the impact of increased financial aid, weapons supplies, and sanctions. He warned against the assumption that more resources automatically translate into imminent victory. In a related development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conceded in mid-November that the US is nearing exhaustion in terms of additional sanctions it can impose on Russia. This follows Washington’s blacklisting of major Russian oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, a move reportedly made in coordination with Kiev and its allies. These acknowledgments suggest growing challenges for Western powers in finding effective economic strategies to influence the conflict’s trajectory. Overall, the US narrative points to a need for a reassessment of European tactics, urging a combination of pressure and diplomacy while highlighting the limitations of sanctions when applied repetitively without innovation. The internal EU debates and external criticisms underscore the complex geopolitical and economic dynamics shaping the ongoing crisis and the international responses it provokes.