US President Donald Trump has announced that he is considering large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Russia. This decision comes after Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine.
Trump made his announcement in a statement, saying that Russia was “pounding” Ukraine on the battlefield. He expressed frustration with Ukraine, saying it was difficult to work with them. However, just hours earlier, Trump had praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and blamed Ukraine for not wanting peace with Russia.
This change in tone has been criticized by many, who point out that Trump’s previous comments were at odds with his current stance on the conflict. In fact, Trump recently berated Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, calling him a dictator and blaming Ukraine for starting the war.
Trump’s decision to pause US military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv was followed by Russia’s large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. It is unclear if this was directly related to the US pause.
Now, Trump has threatened sanctions and tariffs against Russia unless a ceasefire and peace deal are reached. However, it is not clear how these sanctions would work or what impact they would have.
The threat of US tariffs is unlikely to bother Russia, which is already under heavy Western sanctions. Moscow has been able to get around these sanctions by selling discounted oil to India and China.
Trump’s announcement may be an attempt to present the US as being more even-handed in its approach to the conflict. However, many are skeptical about what was discussed and agreed on during Trump’s recent phone call with Putin.
The outcome of this situation is uncertain, but one thing is clear: Russia has been playing a clever hand, watching as the transatlantic alliance comes apart at the seams.