Trump holds back on Russia sanctions despite agreement with Europe - WSJ
Photo: Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Despite agreements with European leaders, US President Donald Trump did not take on clear commitments regarding new sanctions against Russia, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.
According to the media outlet’s sources, during the September 4 Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris, Trump accused European countries of purchasing Russian oil, saying that such revenues fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine.
At the same time, Trump did not announce new US sanctions against the aggressor state, although he did raise tariffs on imports from India. He also urged European states to increase economic pressure on China over its support for Russia.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen allegedly pushed back against Trump, noting that EU oil imports from Russia had dropped significantly since the invasion of Ukraine. Trump was also told that only Hungary and Slovakia continue importing Russian oil.
Later, the media reported that after the heated Trump call, the Coalition of the Willing was urgently preparing a delegation to the United States.
Security guarantees for Ukraine
Leaders of several European countries met in Paris on September 4 to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. Among them were German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that 26 countries had agreed to deploy troops to Ukraine to support its territory the day after a ceasefire or peace deal is established.
These guarantees are meant to deter future Russian aggression. The specifics of the US contribution have not yet been finalized.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that security guarantees for Ukraine must take effect immediately, without waiting for the fighting to stop.
In his turn, Russian leader Vladimir Putin threatened that if foreign troops appear in Ukraine, they will become legitimate targets for the Russian army.
Furthermore, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that Russia has no right to decide on the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine as part of security guarantees.
