Trump Vowsโ Response to Ukraine Attacks, Signals Potentialโ for Increasedโฃ Russia Sanctions
WASHINGTON – Former U.S. President Donald Trump,โค responding to recent large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine, stated he isโ “ready” to escalate sanctions against Moscow, hours after acknowledging the devastation as a “terrible humanitarian disaster.” The comments, made to reporters, signal a potential shift inโค tone regarding the ongoing conflict โขand the U.S. response.
Theโ renewed threat of sanctions comes โขas โUkraine reels from aโ weekend barrage of drone and missile strikes that killed at least fourโฃ people, including infants, and severely โฃdamaged government infrastructure in Kyiv. U.S.officials are now assessing the viability of further economic pressure onโ Russia, including secondaryโข sanctions targeting countries that continue to purchase Russian oil,โค a move intended to cripple the Russianโค economy and compel president Vladimir Putin to negotiate. This advancement underscores the escalating โฃstakes โขin the conflict, where the enduranceโ of both theโ Ukrainian military and the russian economy are seen as critical โfactors.
Trump expressed his dissatisfaction โขwith the situation, stating, “Thisโ is truly a terrible humanitarian disaster. I am not happyโข with what โฃhappened there, I say. I โthink everything will be done.” He affirmed his willingness โto moveโ to a “second stage” of sanctions when questioned by reporters.
U.S.โ Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed Trump’s sentiment, asserting that harsher sanctions, particularly those targeting Russian โขoil buyers, couldโฃ “paralyze” the Russian economy. “we are ready to increase pressure โon Russia, butโ we need Europeanโ partners (countries) to followโฃ us,”โฃ Bessent stated. He characterized the current situation asโ a “competition between how long the Ukraine military can survive andโค how long the Russian economy canโฃ survive,” suggesting that coordinated sanctions could force a resolution.
Accordingโฃ to reports, โrussia launched 810 drones and 13 missiles in the attacks over the weekend – the largestโฃ wave of โattacks since the start of the war.The strikes targeted a government complex housing the Ukraine Cabinet,โฃ causing โmeaningful damage.
