According to sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters, Washington has prepared a package of additional sanctions that may include, among others: the Russian banking sector and oil infrastructure, key to the country's economy. In recent days, the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft.
Although it is not known when or even if the new sanctions will be implemented, Reuters sources indicate that the Trump administration has a wide range of tools that can be used to increase pressure on the Kremlin.
See also: Sale on the stock exchange in Moscow. The new sanctions hit investors hard
Sanctions on Russia. Europe under pressure from the US
US officials have called on their European allies to act more decisively against Russia. When announcing the sanctions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on the European Union to impose similar restrictions. However, according to one of the senior EU officials, full sanctions on Lukoil may be difficult to implement due to the company's strong ties with the European economy – including through refineries in Bulgaria and Romania and a network of gas stations.
Washington also changed the procedure for approving Ukrainian military targets on Russian territorytransferring responsibility from the Pentagon to the US European Command in Germany. This decision was positively received by Kyiv and European allies. Despite this, President Trump is still refraining from delivering the Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine requested by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
See also: 12.5 hours of talks by 27 leaders. This much has been achieved
Diplomatic game and tensions
Last week, Donald Trump talked with Vladimir Putin about a possible end to the conflict in Ukraine. The two leaders planned to meet in Budapest, but Trump later announced its cancellation, saying it “didn't feel right.” In turn, the Kremlin representative, Kirill Dmitriev, suggested that talks may be held at a later date, emphasizing that the parties are close to finding a diplomatic solution.
In turn, during a meeting in Washington with the president of Ukraine, American officials allegedly pressed Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to give up part of the territory in Donbas, which would end the conflict. However, Zelensky firmly rejected this proposal.
Will the US and the EU find a common language?
The Trump administration's decision to impose sanctions on Russia ended a week full of tensions in international relations. Americans are counting on more decisive actions from Europe, although in Brussels there is still a debate on the potential economic consequences for the EU itself.
As emphasized by the spokeswoman of the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, Halyna Jusypiuk, Kiev appreciates the steps taken, but emphasizes that “dismantling the Russian war machine is the most humane way to end this war“.
