Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, 21 September 2026 that new US sanctions targeting Russia's oil, gas, and defence sectors will neither restore relations between Moscow and Washington nor bring an end to the war in Ukraine. The remarks came days after US President Donald Trump signed the Russia sanctions legislation into law on Friday.

What the New Sanctions Target

The legislation signed by President Trump on Friday imposes restrictions on Russia's energy and defence industries, as well as its so-called 'shadow fleet' of tankers used to circumvent earlier export curbs. The measures represent one of the most comprehensive energy-sector actions taken against Moscow since the start of the conflict.

Peskov, however, downplayed their potential effect, saying Russia has 'largely adapted' to sanctions and found ways to minimise their impact. He also noted that several of Russia's key trading partners oppose such unilateral restrictions — a reference widely understood to include China and India, both of which have continued purchasing discounted Russian crude.

Zelensky-Trump Meeting on the Horizon

On the same day as Moscow's pushback, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed that he and President Trump had agreed to meet in New York, describing the prospective talks as potentially transformative. 'We agreed to meet in New York, and this meeting could change a lot. There is diplomatic momentum,' Zelensky said in a post on X following a phone call with Trump.

Zelensky stopped short of announcing a date for the meeting or specifying what the two leaders hoped to formally agree. He described the conversation as 'important' and said it had covered 'substantial ground,' placing peace negotiations at the centre of Ukraine's engagement with the American side.

Ukraine's Priorities: Energy, Food, Human Life

'The peace track is our number one priority,' Zelensky said. The Ukrainian president identified energy security, food security, and the protection of human life as issues being considered alongside possible de-escalation measures. 'There are ideas for de-escalation steps and for addressing fundamental security issues — energy security, food security, and the protection of human life,' he added, without elaborating on specific proposals or implementation timelines.

Zelensky also signalled that work with US officials was ongoing and that Ukraine was prepared to take 'serious steps towards peace' in coordination with the American team.

Two Diverging Narratives

The contrasting signals from Moscow and Kyiv on the same day underscore the fragile and deeply contested nature of any prospective peace process. While Ukraine is projecting openness to diplomacy, Russia is framing the latest round of US economic pressure as counterproductive — a posture that critics argue is designed to buy time and deflect accountability for the prolonged conflict. Notably, the Kremlin's swift rejection of the sanctions' peace-building potential came even before any formal negotiations have been announced.

With a potential Trump-Zelensky meeting in New York on the horizon, the next few days could prove pivotal for the shape of any ceasefire or peace framework — though significant gaps in position, trust, and verification remain.