U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is considering large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.
He made this statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, urging both Russia and Ukraine to “get to the table right now, before it is too late.”
This announcement comes as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the U.S. will impose sanctions on Russian energy if it helps lead to a ceasefire. Bessent’s warning comes ahead of meetings between U.S. officials and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss possible steps towards ending the war.
Relations between the U.S. and Ukraine have deteriorated, with the U.S. halting military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Tensions escalated following a missile attack by Russian forces targeting Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure, marking the first major assault since the U.S. paused intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russian forces launched a barrage of 67 missiles and 194 drones in the overnight assault, with Ukrainian forces intercepting 34 missiles and 100 drones.
The relationship between Ukraine and the U.S. has hit a new low following a tense exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office, which was broadcast on live television.
The situation remains tense as the world watches closely for any developments that could lead to a ceasefire and a final settlement agreement on peace.
