Russia and Trump

The Trump administration upheld all of the sanctions on Russia and added new ones starting with imposing financial penalties on 7 wealthy Russian businessmen and 17 top political officials for interfering in US elections. Trump then ordered the closing of Russian diplomatic properties in San Francisco, Washington D.C, New York City and Seattle. Trump then expelled 60 Russian diplomats after the killing of former spy in England. Trump sent military aid to Ukraine something his predecessor refused to do. While all of these things hurt Russia the biggest pain they suffered and are suffering is the low price of oil. Russia is the second biggest oil exporter in the world, making its economy vastly dependent on the global oil market. Oil and gas exports constitute 40 percent of the total federal budget revenue of Russia. Because of fracking the price of oil has fallen from over $100 per barrel to yesterdays close at $45. Trump is also pushing Germany not to build a new gas pipeline from Russia and to consider the purchase of natural gas from the US.