Macron predicts dramatic change in Russia's ability to fund war
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a sharp intensification of sanctions pressure on Russia and its oil and gas sector. It will significantly reduce its ability to finance the war, said Macron during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Macron, in the coming weeks, the Kremlin will feel the most powerful economic blow since the start of the full-scale war.
"We have adopted the 19th sanctions package and are already preparing the 20th. At the same time, the Americans decided to include two major oil and gas companies in the sanctions package. So, I believe that the level of pressure on Russia's oil and gas companies and the oil and gas industry will be the highest since the beginning of the war in the coming weeks. And, in my view, this changes the game," he said.
The French leader called the US decision to impose new restrictions on two key Russian oil and gas companies an unprecedented step.
Emmanuel Macron also emphasized that Europe has simultaneously sharply stepped up its fight against the shadow fleet that Russia uses to circumvent oil sanctions.
"We know that 40% of Russia's military efforts are financed through this shadow fleet. For the first time, we have such a comprehensive approach to Russian oil and gas thanks to the US decisions and the strengthening of our control over the shadow fleet," he stressed.
Macron expressed confidence that in the coming weeks, Russia's ability to finance the war will be significantly reduced, and the pressure on its economy will change dramatically.
His statement signals the West's shift toward a more aggressive and coordinated strategy of economic containment of Russia, with a focus on its key sources of revenue - oil and gas.
Sanctions against Russia
Russian liquefied natural gas exports in 2025 continue to decline under the pressure of sanctions, according to LSEG statistics for the first 11 months of 2025.
In October, the United States announced sanctions against Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, to push Putin to come to the negotiating table with Ukraine.
In addition, Ukraine synchronized its own sanctions with the US and imposed restrictions on Rosneft, its subsidiaries, and companies within the Lukoil group.
