After weeks of threats to impose new sanctions and announcements of the possible transfer of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, the US president seemed to soften his tone on Thursday and signal that he would withdraw from implementing these announcements. After a “productive” conversation with the Russian leader, Trump announced a new summit meeting — this time in Budapest. He then said that the United States needed the Tomahawks for its own needs and could not exhaust its stockpile, so he “didn't know what to do with it.” When asked about sanctions, he said that this may not be the best moment to introduce them.
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Frozen sanctions
The new U.S. president's turn came a few hours after the leader of the Republicans in the Senate, John Thune, announced that “the time has come” to adopt the sanctions project that has been pending for half a year. The project, despite the support of over 80 percent of senators, was stuck in the “freezer” because Republicans were waiting for the consent of the White House. According to the AP agency, the White House has recently expressed increased interest in the project. Trump However, he said that Thune said so because he had not yet heard about his conversation with Putin, adding that sanctions may not be necessary to reach peace.
“I'll talk to him and Chairman Mike Johnson. I will talk to them a little later and tell them about it and we will make the right decision. I'm not against anything. I'm just saying it might not be the perfect time. This may happen in a week or two, the president explained.
Frustration in Congress after Trump's conversation with Putin
However, some politicians in Congress have expressed frustration with Trump's attitude and his repeated announcements of sanctions in two weeks.
“This sounds like another 'two weeks'. Meanwhile, Putin continues to bomb cities and hospitals,” wrote Republican congressman Don Bacon on Platform X. Senator Lindsey Graham, the author of the draft of the new sanctions, commented on Trump's words in a similar, although slightly milder tone. The politician said he appreciated the president's peace efforts, but expressed doubts about the sincerity of Vladimir Putin's intentions.
“I believe it is very important that we continue to sell Ukraine the weapons it needs to protect its people and finally go on the offensive. If Putin is sincere in wanting to end this conflict, I hope that Russia will stop military attacks until the meeting is held. Bombardment and promises of talks have so far not proven to be the path to peace,” Graham wrote.
Opposition politicians were less cautious with criticism. Democratic deputy head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, said that “after leaving the Alaska summit with Putin empty-handed, President Trump decided to reward him again by rolling out the red carpet in Hungary.” She said that if the president continues to delay, Congress must take decisive action on its own.
As a source close to Democrats in Congress told PAP, by the time of the conversation with Putin, there was a “good stir” in Congress and momentum to move forward with initiatives to put pressure on Russia.
“Looks like the taco is back on the menu,” another Democrat said bitterly, citing a mocking abbreviation for “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
Letter from congressmen
Hoping to get White House policy back on track, 25 politicians from both parties in Congress called on the president in an open letter to “follow through on his statements to provide Ukraine with additional weapons and impose new sanctions on Russia to force dictator Vladimir Putin to negotiate.” Congressmen express their appreciation for Trump's peace efforts, including those in the Middle East, but call for sending Tomahawks, Patriot systems, F-16 software updates and 70 mm missile guidance systems (APKWS) to Ukraine.
“These steps, together with significant investments from our European allies, will ensure a defense based on the European initiative and reflect a strategy of peace through strength that aims to end the conflict on terms that affirm Ukraine's sovereignty and deter future escalation by Russia,” the politicians wrote. They also called for cooperation in imposing new sanctions targeting the Russian oil sector and increasing efforts to return kidnapped Ukrainian children.
