Putin says Russia will never bow to US pressure

The Russian president cautions that the response to any strikes deep into Russia will be very serious and overwhelming

File photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo credit: Reuters

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia would never bow to pressure from the United States or any other country, and cautioned that the response to any strikes deep into Russia would be very serious and overwhelming.

US sanctions are an "unfriendly" act and "will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being," Putin said. Russia's energy sector feels confident, he said.

"This is, of course, an attempt to put pressure on Russia," Putin said. "But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever decides anything under pressure."

Putin said breaking the balance in the global energy markets could lead to a hike in prices that would be uncomfortable for countries such as the United States, especially given the internal political calendar in the United States.

Asked about a Wall Street Journal report that the Trump administration has lifted a key restriction on Ukraine's use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, and remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about domestic missiles with a range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles), Putin said: "This is an attempt at escalation."

"But if such weapons are used to attack Russian territory, the response will be very serious, if not overwhelming. Let them think about it," Putin said.