Treasury Secretary Bessent on Sunday referred to Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev as a "Russian propagandist" during an interview, a day after the Treasury had paused sanctions on Dmitriev to allow him to travel to the U.S. for meetings with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. The Treasury paused sanctions to facilitate Dmitriev's travel this week, according to reports. During an appearance on Face the Nation, Secretary Bessent stated that Russia's oil earnings are down 20% year over year and predicted a further potential decrease of 20% to 30%. Bessent also commented on the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions, asserting that "Russia is going to feel the pain immediately" and that oil revenue "funds the Russian war machine." She expressed confidence that "we can make a substantial dent in his profits." The comments come amid ongoing discussions about the impact of U.S. sanctions on the Russian economy and its ability to fund its military operations. The previous report indicated an arrest in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday night related to battery and aggravated assault charges, which is unrelated to the current developments concerning Treasury sanctions and Russian officials.
