US President Donald Trump has announced new sanctions targeting two major Russian oil companies, significantly increasing pressure on Moscow. “This is the right time for sanctions on Russia,” Trump stated, adding that he hopes the move will “force Putin to adopt a reasonable attitude.”
The announcement came after President Trump met with the NATO Secretary-General. Trump revealed that he had canceled a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin because “it didn’t feel appropriate” and “talks with Putin don’t lead to any conclusion.”
Expressing deep concern over the Russia-Ukraine war, the US President noted that “thousands of deaths are happening every week” in the conflict. He described the war as a continuation from the “Biden era” and stated that he is “trying to stop it.”
Trump also clarified a point, stating that Ukraine is using “European missiles” against Russia, not American ones. He added that he hopes the sanctions on Russian oil will not “need to be maintained for a long period.”
Regarding diplomatic efforts to end the war, Trump said he would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I think President Xi has a great influence over President Putin,” Trump remarked. He also repeated that India has given assurances that it will not buy Russian oil.
The NATO Secretary-General, also speaking on the matter, confirmed that the goal of further sanctions is to “pressure President Putin for a ceasefire.” However, he acknowledged that “at this time, no Russia-Ukraine peace plan is on the negotiating table.”
