President Donald Trump has unleashed a barrage of major new sanctions on Russia, signaling his growing frustration with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The move comes after the cancellation of a highly anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the White House loses patience with the Kremlin’s lack of commitment to peace.
The sweeping sanctions take direct aim at two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, along with their subsidiaries, reports The Telegraph.
The Trump administration has labeled these firms as the primary funders of “the Kremlin’s war machine,” seeking to cut off their access to American banks and financial institutions and effectively blocking their use of US dollars.
Trump hopes sanctions will be short-lived, urges Russia and Ukraine to be ‘reasonable’
Despite the severity of the sanctions, Trump expressed hope that they would not be in place for long, stating, “We hope that the war will be settled.” The president called on both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be “reasonable” in their efforts to end the conflict, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution.
Overnight Russian strikes claim seven lives, including two children
The sanctions come in the wake of a deadly overnight attack by Russian forces on Ukraine, which claimed the lives of seven people, including two children. The tragic incident further underscores the urgency of finding a peaceful solution to the ongoing war, which has devastated the region and claimed countless lives.
Trump’s sanctions praised internationally as pressure mounts on Putin
The international community has welcomed Trump’s decision to impose sanctions on Russia, viewing it as a necessary step in ramping up pressure on Putin to end the war. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze described the sanctions as “relatively big” and praised the coordination with European allies, while the European Union announced its own new sanctions, banning the importation of liquefied natural gas.
White House shifts strategy as patience wears thin
The imposition of sanctions marks a significant shift in the White House’s approach to the conflict, as Trump has previously oscillated between pressuring Moscow and taking a more conciliatory stance in pursuit of peace. However, with no end to the fighting in sight, the administration has decided to take a harder line, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declaring, “Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire.”
Trump still reluctant to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine
Despite the tough stance on sanctions, Trump remains hesitant to provide Ukraine with the long-range Tomahawk missiles it has requested. Earlier this week, the president had indicated a willingness to send the missiles and invited Zelensky to the White House, but later reversed course, citing the complexity of the weapons and the risk of escalation.
President denounces ‘fake news’ report on long-range missile approval
In a related development, Trump took to social media on Wednesday evening to denounce a Wall Street Journal report claiming that the United States had approved the use of long-range missiles into Russia. The president labeled the story as “fake news,” asserting that the U.S. has “nothing to do with those missiles, wherever they may come from, or what Ukraine does with them!”