A high-profile meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska lasted over three hours â yet delivered no ceasefire, no fresh sanctions, and no concrete results. Instead, Trump praised his âfantastic relationshipâ with Putin, drawing sharp criticism from both parties in Washington. Lawmakers condemned the âfriendly opticsâ amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
đš Crypto Twist:
While politics played out on stage, blockchain analysts uncovered Russiaâs growing use of crypto to bypass US sanctions. A ruble-backed token (A7A5) has moved over $51B in transactions, with activity suggesting heavy business use. Sanctioned exchange Garantex resurfaced as Grinex in 2024, keeping the network alive. The tokenâs issuer, tied to a sanctioned Russian state bank, now faces new Treasury restrictions.
đĄ Why It Matters:
Experts see this as Moscowâs calculated push to create a parallel, sanctions-resistant financial system via crypto rails. The summit may have ended with smiles, but Russiaâs blockchain-driven workaround could reshape global sanctions enforcement.