Trump ready to double sanctions against Russia to end war in Ukraine - Kellogg
Photo: US Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump is ready to double sanctions against Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Trump's team does not rule out toughening sanctions against the Russian energy sector, US Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg says in an interview with New York Post.
According to him, the application of sanctions against Russia is currently rated only a three on a ten-point scale of economic pressure. Kellogg emphasized that the US sanctions aimed at Russia's lucrative energy sector are nominally twice as high, but they can be strengthened.
“You could really increase the sanctions — especially the latest sanctions [targeting oil production and exports],” Kellogg said.
The special envoy also noted that last week Trump gathered advisors and cabinet members in the Oval Office - from Vice President J.D. Vance to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent - where, according to Kellogg, they discussed how to use all elements of US national power to end the war in Ukraine.
Kellogg believes that Ukraine will need to continue military pressure on Russia, but he criticized the strategy of the former administration of Joe Biden, who promised help as long as it takes.
In his opinion, Russia is ready for a war of attrition, which, as he noted, has been repeatedly proven by history.
“For Russia, this is kind of in their DNA in military operations — basically, you’re in an attrition fight. If you look at history, you’d never want to get into an attrition fight with the Russians, because that’s how they fight. They’re used to it. I mean, this is a country that was willing to lose — and did — 700,000 in the Battle of Stalingrad in six months, and they didn’t blink an eye,” the US special representative emphasized.
Therefore, according to Kellogg, the pressure on Russia cannot be limited to the military. He adds that economic and diplomatic pressure on Moscow should be applied.
Trump's peace initiatives
After his inauguration, US President Donald Trump called on Russia's Vladimir Putin to strike a deal to end the war against Ukraine. He threatened to increase sanctions and duties if Russia did not end the war.
According to Western media, Trump allegedly instructed Special Representative Keith Kellogg to end the war in Ukraine in 100 days. The network also published Trump's alleged peace plans, but no peace initiatives have been officially released.
Kellogg said he would attend the Munich Security Conference on February 14-16. He will talk about the war in Ukraine but emphasized that he will not unveil a peace plan. According to him, this should be done by Donald Trump.
At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes that there is no official plan for ending the war in Ukraine.
