U.S. President Donald Trump listens throughout a gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (not pictured) and European leaders amid negotiations to finish the Russian battle in Ukraine, on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025.
Alexander Drago | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Sunday he is able to transfer to a second section of sanctioning Russia, the closest he has come to suggesting he’s on the verge of ramping up sanctions in opposition to Moscow or its oil consumers over the battle in Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Moscow with additional sanctions however withheld them as he pursued peace talks.
The newest feedback recommend an more and more aggressive posture, however Trump stopped in need of saying he was dedicated to such a choice or what a second section may entail.
Requested by a reporter on the White Home if he is able to transfer to “the second section” of sanctions in opposition to Russia, Trump responded, “Yeah, I’m.” He didn’t elaborate.
Trump has been annoyed by his lack of ability to carry a halt to the combating after he initially predicted he would have the ability to finish the battle in Ukraine swiftly when he took workplace in January.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to an electronic mail on Sunday in search of remark about what steps Trump was considering. The change was a follow-up to Trump’s feedback on Wednesday defending the actions he had taken already on Russia, together with imposing punitive tariffs on India’s U.S.-bound exports final month.
India is a serious purchaser of Russia’s power exports, whereas Western consumers have in the reduction of in response to the battle.
“That value tons of of billions of {dollars} to Russia,” Trump stated on Wednesday. “You name that no motion? And I have never achieved section two but or section three.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Sunday that the U.S. and the European Union might heap “secondary tariffs on the nations that purchase Russian oil,” pushing the Russian economic system to the brink of collapse and bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating desk.
China is a serious purchaser of Russian power exports.
