By Sama Marwan,
U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering imposing new sanctions on Russia within days, as frustration grows in the White House over Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine and the slow pace of peace negotiations, according to The Wall Street Journal.
A source told the newspaper that the potential sanctions are not expected to target the Russian banking system, but other options are being explored to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into making concessions at the negotiating table — including the possibility of a 30-day ceasefire.
However, the newspaper’s sources did not rule out the possibility that Trump might ultimately refrain from imposing any new sanctions. In a recent statement, Trump said he is “definitely considering” new measures and added:
“He’s killing a lot of people — I don’t know what’s wrong with him. What the hell happened to him?”
— referring to President Putin.
Sources also told the Journal that Trump is becoming increasingly frustrated with the peace process and is seriously considering a complete withdrawal from it if his “final attempt” fails to achieve progress. This would mark a significant shift for a president who promised during his campaign to end the conflict on his first day in the White House.
The consequences of any U.S. withdrawal from peace efforts remain unclear, including whether Trump would continue to provide military support to Ukraine. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told The Wall Street Journal:
“President Trump has been clear about his desire to reach a peace agreement through negotiations. He’s also acting wisely by keeping all options on the table.”
The recent developments point to further deterioration in U.S.-Russia relations, despite several fluctuations over the past months. Trump entered office believing he had a strong personal relationship with Putin, which could help improve bilateral ties. However, he has so far failed to secure major concessions from the Russian leader regarding a peace deal with Ukraine.
Three main factors have influenced Trump’s current thinking:
- Discomfort with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – Trump reportedly believes that Zelensky escalated the conflict by repeatedly calling for harsher sanctions against Russia, even though he agreed to a ceasefire. Trump recently voiced his displeasure in a social media post, saying Zelensky is “not serving his country in the way he speaks.”
- Doubts about the effectiveness of additional sanctions – Trump is skeptical that more sanctions will weaken Russia’s ability to continue the war. Instead, he fears they could further damage the chances of rebuilding economic ties between Moscow and Washington.
- His belief in his personal ability to convince Putin – Trump believes that his relationship with the Russian president could push Putin to make meaningful concessions and end the war.
