Trump becomes even more disappointed with Russia after Rubio’s talk with Lavrov – Media
Photo: Donald Trump, US President (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump became even more disappointed with Russia after a conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on October 20, Axios reports.
One of the US officials told the outlet that the phone call produced no results. At the same time, it made clear that Russia is not ready to reach an agreement to end the war, and that there is no point in holding a meeting between Trump and Putin.
"That conclusion paved the way to Trump's decision to impose the new sanctions against Russia," the US official noted.
Axios reminded that the US anti-Russian sanctions introduced on October 22 were the first since Trump took office as president.
The US president had long stated that imposing sanctions against the aggressor state would undermine his diplomatic efforts to end the war. His change of course indicates that he now considers this approach unsuccessful.
"The new sanctions come a day after Trump canceled plans for a meeting with Putin. It signals Trump's immense frustration with the Russian president," the outlet emphasized.
US anti-Russian sanctions
The United States imposed tough sanctions against the Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil. Following the announcement, Brent crude futures rose by 3%, reaching $64.5 per barrel. The current oil price remains significantly lower than during most of 2025.
India is expected to almost completely abandon Russian oil following the US sanctions. Shipments of Russian crude to India, which had sharply increased after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are soon expected to drop nearly to zero.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev criticized Donald Trump over the new sanctions. He said Washington’s decision was "an act of war," and that the US president had "fully embarked on a path of war with Russia."
