Donald Trump has again threatened to impose sanctions on Russia if there is no movement toward a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. This comes as Moscow stated that there is still “no meeting planned” between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Expressing frustration a week after his meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump said, “I’ll decide what we do next—it’s a big decision. It could be major sanctions, major tariffs, both, or we do nothing and say it’s your fight to handle.”
Trump also voiced displeasure over a recent Russian strike on an American factory in Ukraine, which started a fire and injured some employees.
Zelenskyy said on Friday that Russia is actively blocking a meeting between him and Putin. Trump had earlier claimed he was arranging such a meeting after a Monday call with Putin, while Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for direct talks as the only way to end the war.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told NBC that no meeting is scheduled, though Putin is “ready to meet Zelenskyy once the agenda for a summit is prepared—which it currently is not.” This stance, consistent with Moscow’s conditions for a leaders’ meeting, represents a setback for Trump, who had been touting diplomatic progress.
Despite his frustration with the slow pace of peace efforts, Trump showed White House reporters a photo from his Alaska meeting with Putin and mentioned that Putin may attend the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., though he did not address Russia’s current ban from international competitions due to the invasion of Ukraine.
During a visit to a nuclear research center, Putin expressed optimism about improving U.S.-Russia relations, calling their Alaska meeting “very good, meaningful, and frank.” He added that next steps depend on U.S. leadership but expressed confidence in Trump’s abilities.
Russia’s invasion, which began in 2022, has resulted in thousands of Ukrainian civilian deaths and over a million military casualties on both sides, with ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine cede territory in eastern regions and proposes freezing frontlines in the south, while Zelenskyy has softened his earlier precondition for a lengthy ceasefire but maintains that Ukraine cannot negotiate under military pressure.On Thursday, Zelenskyy accused Russia of “trying to avoid a meeting,” saying Moscow was intent on continuing its offensive. The issue of future security guarantees for Ukraine has been central to the US-led diplomatic effort to negotiate a peace deal and end the conflict.
Trump, who hosted Zelenskyy and top European leaders at the White House on Monday before calling Putin, claimed Russia had agreed to certain Western security assurances for Kyiv. However, Moscow later cast doubt on any such agreement. On Wednesday, Lavrov stated that discussing security guarantees without Russia’s involvement was “a road to nowhere.”
Zelenskyy, who wants foreign troops in Ukraine to deter future Russian aggression, responded: “When Russia talks about security guarantees, I honestly don’t yet know who is threatening them.”
Sources: Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and the Associated Press.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the potential for new sanctions on Russia written in a clear and natural tone
General Beginner Questions
1 Why is Trump considering new sanctions on Russia
The peace efforts in Ukraine have stalled Sanctions are a primary tool the US uses to pressure Russia to change its behavior and deescalate the conflict
2 What exactly are sanctions
Sanctions are penalties imposed by one country on another They can include things like freezing assets banning trade or restricting travel for specific individuals and companies
3 What was the Alaska summit mentioned
This refers to a highlevel meeting between US and Russian officials that took place in Alaska about a week prior The goal was to discuss issues like arms control and the conflict in Ukraine but it did not lead to a major breakthrough
4 How do sanctions against Russia help Ukraine
The goal is to damage the Russian economy and put financial pressure on powerful individuals and companies with ties to the government This is meant to make the cost of continuing the conflict in Ukraine too high for Russia to bear
Advanced Detailed Questions
5 What kind of new sanctions could be imposed
They could range from targeting specific Russian government officials and oligarchs to more severe measures like cutting off Russian banks from the global financial system or imposing secondary sanctions on companies from other countries that do business with Russian defense or energy sectors
6 Why would the US wait to impose these sanctions
Diplomacy often involves a carrot and stick approach Holding back on sanctions can be a strategic pause to see if Russia will engage in goodfaith negotiations after the summit Imposing them now signals that diplomacy has for the moment failed
7 What are the potential downsides or risks of new sanctions
They can lead to retaliatory sanctions from Russia which can hurt American and European businesses They can also contribute to global economic instability and increase energy prices There is also a risk that overly harsh sanctions could push Russia into a closer alliance with US rivals like China
8 How effective have previous sanctions on Russia been
Opinions are mixed They have certainly hurt the Russian economy and limited its growth potential but they have not yet forced a
