President Donald Trump issued a clear warning to Russia, making it known that harsh sanctions would be imposed if Moscow undermines ongoing peace negotiations. He also made it clear that Ukraine could face consequences as well, should he determine that Kyiv isn’t doing its part to support the talks.
President Trump met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on Thursday. Ahead of the meeting, German media had indicated Merz hoped to persuade Trump to increase American backing for Ukraine. In response to a reporter’s question regarding possible new sanctions on Russia, Trump said he wouldn’t hesitate to penalize any nation obstructing diplomatic progress.
Trump emphasized that he would hold off on escalating pressure until he was convinced the discussions were either stalling or collapsing. “…when I see the moment when we’re not going to make a deal, when this thing won’t stop, at that moment… we’ll be very, very tough. And it could be on both countries, to be honest, you know? It takes two to tango. We’re going to be very tough whether it’s Russia or anybody else.”
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump made it clear that the United States has significant leverage if things go off track. “if [a peace deal] doesn’t happen and if I see someone’s out of line, if Russia’s out of line, you’ll be amazed how tough [I will be]”. Though he left open the possibility of action against Ukraine, he stressed his general alignment with Kyiv: “I’m with Ukraine, we just signed a big deal on rare earth with Ukraine. I’m for stopping killing, really.”
Drawing an analogy between the war and physical altercations between rivals that sometimes need time to burn off tension before being broken up, Trump commented on the deeply personal nature of the conflict. “there’s a great hatred between those two men,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, it has faced a barrage of sanctions from Western nations. While the overall effect on Russia’s economy remains difficult to measure, the country has experienced a surge in wartime-driven economic activity.
This continued economic momentum is due in part to Russia’s ability to keep exporting oil and gas, even under heavy restrictions. As a potential next step, President Trump has suggested imposing secondary sanctions—not directly on Russia itself, but on nations that continue purchasing Russian energy. One of the most significant of these is China.
{Matzav.com}
