"There will be sanctions," President Donald Trump reaffirmed on 3/8, warning of US action if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by 8/8.
However, Trump added that Russia "is sly and quite good at evading sanctions, so we'll see what happens."
The US leader added that special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to arrive in Russia on 6/8 or 7/8, following his previous directive.
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US President Donald Trump at the White House on 1/8. Photo: AP |
US President Donald Trump at the White House on 1/8. Photo: AP
The new comment comes after Trump on 28/7 shortened the 50-day ultimatum he had set for Russia on 14/7, announcing that Moscow had only 10 to 12 days to implement the ceasefire request in Ukraine. The president said there was "no reason to wait" as he hadn't seen any progress in the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiation efforts.
Since his election campaign, Trump has repeatedly stated that he would quickly end the conflict in Ukraine. However, his peace efforts have not yet yielded the expected results.
Trump has threatened to impose high tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, such as India, to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to change his calculations. He has also agreed to sell Patriot air defense systems and US weapons to European partners so they can supply them to Ukraine.
However, Russia has not shown any signs of ending the conflict in Ukraine and has repeatedly affirmed its determination to achieve the goals set at the beginning of the campaign. Observers appreciate Trump's efforts, but also acknowledge that resolving the Ukraine conflict is not an easy task.
Thuy Lam (Reuters)
