Trump Threatens Russia with New Sanctions: Will Putin Finally Negotiate?

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to impose additional sanctions on Russia as the war in Ukraine nears its third anniversary. Trump was asked whether further sanctions would be imposed if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not engage in negotiations. He responded, “Sounds likely,” indicating that further pressure could be applied.

During his comments, Trump also noted that discussions were ongoing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and a meeting with Putin was imminent. "We’re going to be talking with President Putin very soon, and we’ll see what happens," he said. Trump also accused the European Union of not contributing sufficiently to Ukraine’s defense efforts and said that he would "consider" whether additional U.S. weaponry should be sent to Ukraine.

In a recent phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump discussed the ongoing conflict. He remarked on the power that both China and the U.S. hold, urging Xi to help mediate a resolution. Trump mentioned that Zelensky is seeking peace but emphasized that any negotiations require the participation of both sides. “It takes two to tango,” Trump said, highlighting the complexities of the peace process.

While Trump previously suggested he could end the war in 24 hours, he acknowledged that the situation was more complicated than originally portrayed. Trump’s administration has emphasized peace, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that the goal is not just to end the war but to ensure that it does not reignite in the future. Rubio stressed the importance of ending the conflict in a sustainable way, ensuring long-term stability for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky has made it clear that Ukraine will never recognize the territories occupied by Russia as part of its sovereign territory. In a recent statement, Zelensky emphasized that regardless of pressure from allies, Ukraine would not recognize the Russian occupation of its lands. “They will always remain occupied territories until we liberate them,” he declared. He also stressed the necessity of engaging in dialogue with Russia only from a position of strength, rejecting any approach that treats the aggressor as an equal.

For Ukraine, ending the active phase of the war remains the top priority. Zelensky pointed out that while talks are essential, the primary goal is to halt the fighting. "We must find all possible ways to end the hot phase of the war," he asserted, recognizing that this is the first step toward ensuring security and stability for Ukraine.

In contrast to Trump’s earlier promises of rapid peace negotiations, the reality remains that both sides will likely need to make significant concessions to reach a lasting resolution. U.S. officials have acknowledged that peace talks, if they occur, will be complex and could take months. Despite these challenges, the Trump administration remains committed to working toward an end to the war, with the understanding that the path to peace will require difficult compromises on both sides.

Sources:

• CNN
• Ukrainska Pravda
• CBS