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 warfare in Ukraine, on the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025.
Alexander Drago | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Sunday he’s ready to maneuver 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 warfare in Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Moscow with additional sanctions however withheld them as he pursued peace talks.
The newest feedback counsel an more and more aggressive posture, however Trump stopped quick of saying he was dedicated to such a choice or what a second section may entail.
Asked by a reporter on the White House if he’s ready to maneuver to “the second phase” of sanctions in opposition to Russia, Trump responded, “Yeah, I am.” He didn’t elaborate.
Trump has been annoyed by his lack of ability to deliver a halt to the preventing after he initially predicted he would be capable to finish the warfare in Ukraine swiftly when he took workplace in January.
The White House didn’t instantly reply to an e 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 significant purchaser of Russia’s vitality exports, whereas Western consumers have in the reduction of in response to the warfare.
“That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia,” Trump stated on Wednesday. “You call that no action? And I haven’t done phase two yet or phase three.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that the U.S. and the European Union may heap “secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil,” pushing the Russian financial system to the brink of collapse and bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating desk.
China is a significant purchaser of Russian vitality exports.