Trump wants to pressure Russia with sanctions - will Putin give in?

U.S. President Donald Trump's patience is gradually running out, and he is seriously considering imposing the next package of sanctions against Russia. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing reliable sources. It is known that the Washington administration is deeply concerned about the slow pace of negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine and Russia’s continued attacks.

According to a high-ranking source in the U.S. government cited by the newspaper, Trump’s key advisors are proposing new and tougher measures against Russia. The main goal of these proposals is to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict and return to peace negotiations.

However, it appears that the new sanctions will not target Russia’s banking system. According to the source, the U.S. administration is looking for other effective ways to pressure Putin. One of these options is a 30-day full ceasefire initiative, which is also supported by Ukrainian officials. Additional restrictive measures could be taken to compel Russia to comply with this proposal.

At the same time, the White House leader has not yet made a final decision and may ultimately abandon these measures. However, officials in Trump’s circle emphasize that he is taking the issue seriously.

The report also notes that the U.S. administration is increasingly alarmed by Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukraine and the rising number of civilian casualties. The fact that Russia’s military operations in Ukraine continue despite various international diplomatic efforts is wearing down Washington’s patience.

A source close to Trump stated that he has tried multiple times to engage in direct talks with Putin, but these efforts have not yielded meaningful results. Therefore, there is now a belief that pressure through sanctions may be the only effective approach.

Notably, the 30-day ceasefire initiative proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received strong support from the international community. Washington’s effort to implement this proposal is aimed primarily at saving civilian lives.

Experts believe that new sanctions could deal a serious blow to Russia’s economy. This, in turn, may force Putin back to the negotiating table. For now, there is no specific information about which sectors the sanctions will target.

Regardless of what the U.S.'s next steps toward Russia may be, the international community is closely watching. If such tough measures are imposed, they could further escalate tensions between Russia and the West.

However, since the White House has not made a final decision on the matter, it is difficult to predict how events will unfold in the coming days. For now, all eyes are on Donald Trump’s next steps.

If international diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine do not succeed, there is a high probability that pressure through sanctions will increase. This could negatively impact Russia’s economy and political landscape.

In conclusion, the future actions of the U.S. administration and President Trump will undoubtedly affect not only Russia–Ukraine relations but also the entire global political landscape. At present, the world is closely watching what decision Donald Trump will make on this issue.

Photo: REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration