U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he is prepared to move forward with a “second phase” of sanctions against Russia, indicating his most direct suggestion of escalating measures against Moscow or its energy purchasers due to the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump has previously threatened Russia with further sanctions but had withheld them while pursuing peace talks. His latest remarks suggest a shift towards a more aggressive posture, though he did not detail what a second phase might involve or confirm a commitment to it.
Trump expressed frustration with his administration’s inability to swiftly end the fighting in Ukraine. The article notes that Trump previously defended his actions on Russia, including punitive tariffs on India’s U.S.-bound exports, which he claimed had cost Russia billions, and that he had “phase two or phase three” sanctions available.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that the U.S. and the European Union could impose “secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil” to destabilize the Russian economy and encourage negotiations with President Vladimir Putin. China is identified as a major purchaser of Russian energy exports.
with information from Reuters