Trump under pressure to impose sanctions on Russia as Ukraine war drags on

Reuters reported the information.

Despite his initial reluctance and hopes for a productive relationship with Putin, Trump is now seriously considering sanctions following recent escalations in the war. A senior White House official stated, "He is always looking at different ways to apply pressure. This is no different. He's always weighing his options."

Trump's initial approach was rooted in the belief that he could personally broker a peace deal with Putin, viewing sanctions as counterproductive to fostering a cooperative environment. He expressed this sentiment to reporters in the Oval Office, saying, "If I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that."

However, the situation has evolved as Russia intensified its attacks in Ukraine. Trump reportedly told aides that Putin had "gone absolutely CRAZY" and was "playing with fire" by refusing to engage in ceasefire talks with Kyiv.

Republicans in Congress, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Chuck Grassley, are urging Trump to take a tougher stance. Grassley emphasized the need for decisive action, stating in a social media post, "I believe President Trump was sincere when he thought his friendship with Putin would end the war. Now that being the case, IT'S TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENOUGH SO PUTIN KNOWS 'game over.'"

U.S. officials have prepared a comprehensive sanctions package targeting Russia's banking and energy sectors, ready for implementation upon Trump's approval. One option under consideration involves supporting legislation that would impose a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries purchasing Russian oil. This approach could allow Trump to impose significant sanctions while maintaining a line of communication with Putin, as one U.S. official noted.

The European Union has also been increasing sanctions on Russia, with recent measures targeting over 130 entities and individuals, including major oil firm Surgutneftegaz. U.S. officials have expressed no objections to these actions, signaling a potential shift towards a more unified front against Russia's actions in Ukraine.

• U.S. senators are renewing pressure on Congress to pass sanctions against Russia after ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine yielded little progress.