Blavatnik holds both U.S. and U.K. citizenship and has generously funded election campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans.
Her trip, organized at the invitation of the celebrated Russian actor and director Vladimir Mashkov, became a notable event for Russia’s cultural and political elite.
Since early 2022, amid the war in Ukraine and the wave of sanctions, many assumed Russian tourism in Europe would grind to a halt. However, reality proved otherwise.
The move is a direct response to President Donald Trump’s recent wave of tariffs and a clear signal that Beijing is ready for a prolonged confrontation.
Negotiations between Russia and the United States are set to resume on April 10 in Istanbul.
On Sunday, April 6, during the game between the New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals, the Russian forward scored his 895th goal.
The EU’s top sanctions official O’Sullivan confirmed that Washington has not approached the EU on the matter.
Despite mounting concerns over a looming global recession, the president made his stance clear: “there’s no turning back.”
In the early stages, the strategy worked — Trump showed interest. But his interest quickly turned into pressure.
The unexpected remark came just one day after Trump’s administration introduced sweeping new trade measures, including a 34% tariff on Chinese goods.
These steps could fracture alliances and destabilize global financial markets.
The appeal by some of Kyiv’s key western allies is an attempt to call Moscow out on its willingness to reach a ceasefire.
The market reaction was swift: following Trump’s announcement of new tariffs, oil prices plummeted sharply on Wednesday evening.
