U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Russia to “make a deal” to end the war in Ukraine, warning that failure to reach an agreement would lead to increased sanctions, tariffs, and taxes on Russian goods. He also stated that he is not looking to hurt Russia and has always had a good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s comments come as the Trump administration works on a sanctions strategy to advance a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The administration reportedly considers two primary approaches: offering targeted relief to sanctioned Russian oil producers as an incentive if peace negotiations advance, or significantly expanding sanctions to increase pressure on Moscow.
The Biden administration and the U.K. recently imposed their most extensive sanctions, targeting nearly 200 vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet,” key oil companies, and related entities. Trump’s efforts include plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and consult with Putin.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the full-scale invasion would not have started if he had been in office at the time and pledged to broker an end within 24 hours. However, he has yet to present a detailed plan for ending the war.