Russia Under the Gun: Trump Considers Fresh Sanctions Amid Frozen Aid to Ukraine

Washington (AP) President Donald Trump said Friday that he is “strongly considering” imposing fresh sanctions and tariffs on Russia for its war in Ukraine, raising the prospect of new pressure on Moscow just days after ordering a halt to US military support and intelligence sharing with Kiev.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that he was considering taking action “based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now.”

He also stated that the potential penalties might be in effect until the two sides reach a cease-fire and peace agreement.

The sanctions threat comes as Trump is under fire for increasing pressure on Ukraine to achieve an agreement while downplaying or even denying Russia’s culpability for initiating the war with its invasion three years ago.

“To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it’s too late,” Trump wrote in his post.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday that the United States has maintained its sanctions against Russia and “will not hesitate to go all in if it provides leverage in peace negotiations.”

During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Joe Biden’s administration placed hundreds of sanctions on Russian corporations, individuals, and ships, as well as a price cap on Russian oil, among other measures.

Bessent labelled Biden’s restrictions on Russian energy “egregiously weak” and “derived from concerns about rising U.S. energy prices.”

“Per President Trump’s guidance, sanctions will be used explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact,” Bessent indicated. “They will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are achieving specific objectives.”

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters Friday that there is still a “heck of a lot” of room to put additional pressure on the Russian economy through sanctions.

“President Trump is adamant that we need to get everybody to the table, and we could do that with carrots, and we could do that with sticks,” Hassett told reporters.

Russia conducted nocturnal strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones, officials said Friday, limiting the country’s ability to provide heat and light to its population as well as power weapons factories critical to its defences.

The onslaught, which also blasted homes and injured at least ten people, occurred just days after the United States froze military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to persuade it to accept a peace plan supported by the Trump administration.

Without US information, Ukraine’s ability to strike within Russia and defend itself against bombardment is severely limited.

However, in an interview with reporters, Trump dismissed the suggestion that Putin is taking advantage of the intelligence delay to inflict additional agony on Ukraine.

“I think he’s doing what anybody else would,” Trump remarked of Putin.

And Trump again questioned Zelenskyy’s commitment to reaching a peace agreement to end the violence. “It may be easier dealing with Russia, which is surprising, because they have all the cards, and they’re bombing the hell out of them right now,” he remarked.

Trump will send Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security advisor Mike Waltz, and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with Ukrainian officials.

Trump, just days into his second nonconsecutive White House term, said attacking Russia’s oil revenue was the greatest approach to persuade Moscow to cease its nearly three-year war with Ukraine. He focused on the premise that OPEC+, a coalition of oil-producing nations, holds the key to ending the war by lowering oil prices.

However, OPEC+ members, including the oil-rich monarchy of Saudi Arabia, have reacted cautiously to this drive.

Trump has a difficult relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Republican president has even brought up the investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election to explain why he believes Putin will not restart his attack on Ukraine if a truce is established.

“Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,” Trump told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at last week’s tense Oval Office meeting, which resulted in Trump suspending aid and intelligence to Ukraine. “He went through a bogus witch hunt in which they utilised him and Russia. “Russia, Russia, Russia, have you heard of that deal?”