Following a drone attack on Ukraine, Trump threatens Russia.
Threat of More Sanctions
The Wall Street Journal reports reports Trump Threatens to Hit Russia With Sanctions in Push for Peace Deal
President Trump said he is “strongly considering” imposing far-reaching sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a peace agreement is reached in the war in Ukraine.
“Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,” Trump wrote on social media on Friday.
He added that both Russia and Ukraine needed to get to the negotiating table “before it is too late.” The Kremlin didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russia launched its latest aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities early Friday with 67 missiles and 194 attack drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The majority were intercepted, the air force said, but officials reported damage to power and gas facilities. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s electricity grid, often forcing blackouts in cities across the country.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration said it had ordered a pause to intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a move that deprives Kyiv of a key tool in fighting Russian forces. The U.S. has also suspended weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Asked if he thought Russian President Vladimir Putin was striking Ukraine in an effort to take advantage of the intelligence-sharing pause, Trump said: “I actually think he’s doing what anybody else would do. I think he wants to get it stopped and settled.”
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump added of Putin: “I think he’s hitting them harder than he’s been hitting them. And I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now.”
Trump made a similar sanctions and tariff threat against Russia in January, but didn’t follow through. At the time, he stressed that he didn’t want to hurt Russia. “I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin,” he wrote.
The efficacy of Trump’s threat of tariffs is questionable. Russia exported about $2.9 billion worth of goods to the U.S. in 2024, according to Census Bureau data, down from $29.6 billion in 2021, before the war started.
I question Russia export data because it is not in easily traced dollars. I would bet that oil alone is double or triple the official numbers.
But it’s weapons to Ukraine, not sanctions, that would better get Putin’s attentions.
However, there is no chance of weapons to Ukraine until Zelensky signs a mineral’s deal with Trump. Once that is done, there will be more pressure on Putin.
Meanwhile, Zelensky should take this as a signal that Trump has not totally abandoned Ukraine.
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The “now what” is Trump is pressuring Russia too, albeit mildly. But Zelensky needs to sign a deal before Trump does more for Ukraine.
Absent the meeting implosion in which all sides are to blame, Trump has handled this at least reasonably well, and arguably very well.
In his handling of Ukraine, note that Trump Goads Germany Into a Budget-Breaking Increase in Defense Spending.