In a recent statement, President Donald Trump announced he is seriously contemplating imposing new sanctions and tariffs on Russia due to its military actions against Ukraine. This proposal emerges shortly after he halted U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Trump voiced his thoughts on his Truth Social platform, expressing concern over Russia’s aggressive stance on the battlefield in Ukraine.
He suggested that these potential sanctions might continue until a ceasefire and peace agreement are achieved between the two nations. This comes amid criticisms aimed at Trump for his approach of applying pressure on Ukraine to reach a settlement, while seemingly downplaying Russia’s role in initiating the conflict three years ago.
“To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late,” Trump urged in his post.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remarked at the Economic Club of New York, emphasizing that current U.S. sanctions on Russia remain firm and would be intensified if it would aid in peace discussions. Throughout Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration has enacted numerous sanctions on Russian entities and limited Russian oil prices among other measures.
Bessent criticized Biden’s approach to Russian energy sanctions as “egregiously weak” due to concerns over potential hikes in U.S. energy prices. He noted that under Trump’s guidance, any sanctions would be assertively applied for maximum effect, with their impacts meticulously monitored to ensure they meet intended objectives.
Kevin Hassett, head of the National Economic Council, highlighted on Friday that there remains significant scope for increasing economic pressure on Russia through further sanctions. He mentioned that Trump is determined to bring all parties to the negotiation table, whether through incentives or strict measures.
Recent reports confirm that Russia has launched extensive overnight attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure using missiles and drones, which have impacted the nation’s power capabilities for citizens and defense manufacturing. This attack followed the suspension of U.S. support, a strategic move by the Trump administration to encourage Ukraine towards a peace settlement.
Without U.S. intelligence, Ukraine’s ability to conduct operations inside Russia and defend itself is notably weakened. However, Trump dismissed concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking advantage of this intelligence suspension, stating, “I think he’s doing what anybody else would.”
Trump questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s commitment to negotiating for peace, suggesting Russia may have an upper hand in negotiations due to its current battlefield dominance. To further efforts, Trump plans to send Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Ukrainian representatives next week.
In his second term in office, Trump suggested that targeting Russia’s oil income is key to ending Russia’s nearly three-year conflict with Ukraine, advocating for action by OPEC+, a collective of oil-producing nations. However, this idea has not been well received by these countries, including Saudi Arabia.
Trump’s complex relationship with Putin juxtaposes trust against past allegations of Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. elections. In a previous meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump pointed out that Putin had experienced considerable scrutiny during the inquiries into alleged Russian electoral interference. “Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,” Trump remarked, referring to the investigations as a “phony witch hunt.”
