Trump to hit Russia with new sanctions soon - WSJ
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump is considering imposing sanctions on Russia as early as this week, according to The Wall Street Journal.
This move may be made because Trump is increasingly frustrated by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s attacks on Ukraine (most likely referring to the strikes) and the slow pace of peace talks, according to people familiar with the US president’s thinking.
One source said the restrictions likely will not include new banking sanctions, but other pressure options on Putin are being discussed to force him to make concessions at the negotiating table, including a 30-day ceasefire. At the same time, the report notes Trump may decide not to impose new sanctions.
The publication also says the US president is tired of peace negotiations and is considering abandoning them if the latest push fails. It remains unclear what will happen if the US backs away from the peace process and whether America will continue providing military aid to Ukraine.
For weeks, Trump resisted pressure to reprimand Putin for refusing to agree to a ceasefire supported by Ukraine. But officials say the US leader’s thinking was shaped by three key views.
First, his dislike of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump saw as encouraging the ongoing conflict by insisting on sanctions (though Zelenskyy agreed to the ceasefire).
Second, Trump believed that additional sanctions on Russia would not limit its ability to wage war but would complicate efforts to revive US-Russia economic ties.
The third factor - Trump felt he knew Putin well and expected him to end the war as a personal favor. However, Putin’s unwillingness to compromise soured the US president’s opinion of his counterpart, especially after a phone call last week in which Putin refused to sign a ceasefire agreement.
Trump criticized Putin and did not rule out sanctions
Last night, Donald Trump condemned Putin for the attacks on Ukraine and told reporters he was disappointed with the Kremlin leader and the state of the peace talks.
"I’m not happy with what Putin is doing. He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin. I’ve known him a long time - always gotten along with him - but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all," Trump said.
He added that Washington is "absolutely" considering imposing sanctions on Russia.
Later, he posted that Putin has "gone absolutely crazy".
"I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!" the American leader said.
