After nine months of his presidency and a series of fruitless talks to convince Vladimir Putin to end his aggression against Ukraine, President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed the first package of US sanctions on Russia this term. It covered the two largest Russian oil companies – Rosneft and Lukoil.
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Who convinced Trump to impose sanctions on Russia?
Which companies are subject to sanctions?
What has changed in Trump's position?
Why did Rubio cancel the meeting with Lavrov?
Trump resisted, Rubio convinced him
For months, President Donald Trump resisted, believing he could end the war through an agreement with Vladimir Putin — including through an ultimately canceled peace summit in Budapest. Suddenly, there was a change in the American president, partly responsible for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, considered a “hawk” on Russia. He convinced Trump that Moscow had not made any significant changes in its position, Bloomberg describes.
Rubio reportedly canceled a face-to-face meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after they had a telephone conversation earlier in the day that showed the Kremlin was once again trying to delay ceasefire talks.
Bloomberg emphasizes that Rubio played an important role in imposing sanctions on Russia. His harsh stance contrasts with the Russia-friendly strategy of Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
