Citing its sources, Reuters reports that US President Donald Trump’s administration has prepared a new package of sanctions that could target Russia’s banking and oil sectors if Moscow continues its war against Ukraine. Washington has also urged European partners to take the lead in tightening economic pressure, even as it weighs options to use frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.
Trump weighs next move on Russia sanctions
According to Reuters, US officials have developed additional sanctions that could strike key areas of Russia’s economy, including the banking sector and the infrastructure used to export oil. The measures are ready to deploy if Russia's President Vladimir Putin refuses to advance peace efforts in Ukraine. Officials told Reuters that the United States has also discussed with European allies the use of frozen Russian assets to buy American weapons for Ukraine, while internal talks in Washington have begun on how to leverage assets held domestically.
Europe urged to take the next step
Reuters cites a senior US official saying he wants European nations to make “the next big Russia move,” which could include fresh tariffs or financial restrictions. Another source familiar with internal discussions told Reuters that Trump plans to wait several weeks to gauge Moscow’s reaction before deciding on further measures.
The White House has positioned Trump as a global peacemaker, but he has acknowledged that ending Russia’s invasion has proven far more difficult than expected. His August meeting with Putin in Alaska made no progress, and on 25 October, Trump told reporters in Doha that he would not meet the Russian leader again unless a peace deal seemed achievable.
“I’m not going to be wasting my time,” he said.
Ukraine’s proposals and Senate push
Ukrainian officials recently presented new sanction ideas to Washington, Reuters reports, including a plan to cut all Russian banks off from the US dollar system. It remains unclear whether those proposals will be adopted. Meanwhile, some senators are pushing to advance a long-stalled bipartisan sanctions bill, and Reuters says Trump is open to endorsing it—though not this month.
