After Putin’s Tomahawk warning, Trump says, “We’ll see in six months.”

Washington, D.C. — US President Donald Trump brushed aside Russia’s strong reaction to Washington’s latest energy sanctions and said their real impact will emerge “in six months.”

The new sanctions, announced Wednesday, target Russia’s major oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil. The White House said the move aims to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. Following the announcement, global oil prices jumped 5%, according to Reuters.

When reporters asked Trump about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks dismissing the sanctions, the US President appeared unfazed. “I’m glad he feels that way,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday. “I’ll let you know about it in six months. Let’s see how it all works out.”

Putin, meanwhile, denounced the move as hostile and counterproductive. He called the sanctions “an unfriendly act that does nothing to strengthen Russian-American relations.” The Russian leader also vowed that Moscow would “never bow down” to US pressure.

“No self-respecting country ever does anything under pressure,” Putin told Russian journalists in Moscow. He insisted that the restrictions would not significantly hurt Russia’s economy.

However, he also issued a stern warning. Putin said Russia would deliver a “strong response” if Ukraine used US-supplied Tomahawk missiles against Russian targets amid the ongoing war.

This latest round of sanctions marks the first Ukraine-related action against Russia in Trump’s second term. Earlier, Trump had sought diplomatic channels to persuade Putin to halt the conflict. Both leaders had planned to meet in Budapest, but the White House cancelled the meeting.

“We cancelled the meeting with President Putin—it just didn’t feel right,” Trump said. “It didn’t seem like we were going to reach where we needed to. But we’ll do it in the future.”

The sanctions have already begun to ripple through global energy markets. Under the restrictions, Russian oil companies face severe limits on using the dollar-based global financial system. That could complicate payments for crude shipments, which are primarily settled in US dollars.

In Asia, refiners in India and China are assessing their next steps. Several Indian companies have begun reviewing their contracts for Russian oil. They are also waiting for guidance from the Indian government on whether to cut imports.

Trump, in earlier statements, said India would likely reduce its oil purchases from Russia. While New Delhi has not confirmed that, energy analysts say refiners may have little choice. With major Russian firms barred from dollar transactions, finding alternate payment routes may prove difficult.

As tensions rise, both Washington and Moscow appear unwilling to soften their stances. The US plans to enforce the sanctions aggressively, while Russia insists it will not yield to external pressure.

For now, Trump remains confident. “We’ll see in six months,” he repeated on Thursday, signaling a wait-and-watch approach as both powers brace for the next phase of their standoff over Ukraine.