The Trump administration has sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil companies – the primary time it has imposed direct prices on Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The transfer wraps per week during which US President Donald Trump prompt he would offer Ukraine with new weapons, then backtracked, then stated he would maintain one other summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, earlier than backtracking once more.
Here’s how we obtained right here:
• October 16: Trump had been loudly musing about whether or not to present Ukraine with Tomahawks – highly effective, long-range missiles that might pummel targets deep in Russia. A day earlier than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was due to go to the White House – hoping to safe the brand new weapons – Putin initiated a phone call with Trump. The US president then introduced plans to meet Putin for a summit in Budapest.
• October 17: Zelensky made his third visit to the White House this yr. It was neither as unhealthy as his first, nor as rosy as his second. Trump made clear to Zelensky that he wouldn’t obtain Tomahawk missiles. Sources informed NCS the assembly was tense and “uncomfortable,” with Trump insisting that Ukraine make territorial concessions to Russia to end the war. Zelensky stated no. After the assembly, Trump referred to as on Russia and Ukraine to end the war alongside the current battle lines.
• October 18: European leaders, unnerved by what appeared to be Trump as soon as extra shifting in direction of Putin’s place on the war, vowed their “unwavering commitment” to Ukraine. Preparations for the Trump-Putin summit in Budapest continued.
• Monday: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in preparation for the Budapest summit. Lavrov said he informed Rubio that Russia’s place “has not altered” for the reason that Alaska summit: reasonably than a ceasefire, Russia needs a peace deal that might tackle the “root causes” of the war.
• Tuesday: NCS reported that Trump’s hopes for a fast assembly with Putin had stalled out. One supply stated Rubio and Lavrov had divergent expectations about how to end Russia’s war throughout their cellphone name. Later, the White House stated there have been “no plans” for Trump and Putin to meet “in the immediate future.” Asked why, Trump stated he didn’t need the assembly to be “a waste of time.”
• Wednesday: Despite the White House shelving the Budapest summit, Moscow stated preparations have been ongoing. But the Kremlin’s hopes have been dashed when the Trump administration introduced it was sanctioning Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two largest oil firms. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the sanctions aimed to “degrade” Putin’s war chest, and that the choice was taken due to “Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war.”
• Today: Trump’s resolution is a serious coup for Ukraine and its European allies, who’ve spent months pleading with Washington to flip the screw on Russia’s financial system. Zelensky hailed Trump’s resolution, which got here on the identical day that the European Union adopted its nineteenth sanctions package deal in opposition to Russia. The Kremlin has thus far, nevertheless, tried to shrug off the affect of the brand new measures.