Trump Allows for Imminent Contacts with Putin and New Sanctions Against Russia

Tighter sanctions against RUSSIA 'likely' if it refuses ceasefire talks, Trump says, ready to meet Putin 'at any time' and explore arms supplies to Kiev Donald Trump

The United States may tighten sanctions against Russia if Moscow refuses to sit down at the negotiating table to resolve the military conflict with Ukraine, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House. The broadcast was on YouTube.

"Sounds likely," he said in response to a question on the matter.

Trump said he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin "very soon," adding that he was ready to meet with him "at any time" the Russian side wanted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants peace, Trump is convinced, “but it takes two to tango” (Putin said in December that Russia also wanted to end the conflict). “We’ll see what happens,” he added. Speaking about further arms deliveries to Kiev, the American leader said the United States was “looking into it.”

Asked whether the conflict between Moscow and Kiev could be frozen, Trump said: "The war should never have started. If you [in the United States] had a competent president, which you didn't, the war wouldn't have started." He reiterated that he would not have allowed the fighting to start if he were in power .

Shortly after taking office as the 47th US President, Trump made it clear that economic pressure on Russia would continue until it made a deal with Ukraine. According to BLOOMBERG , the new administration's sanctions strategy involves toughening measures against Russian oil producers in order to influence Moscow's decision to end the conflict. If the White House believes that the fighting is close to an end, the US may accept some "goodwill gestures" towards the oil producers.

The Kremlin said it would not be surprised by the tightening of sanctions under Trump. "There is no need to indulge in any excessive expectations here. There can be no fundamental changes," said the president's press secretary Dmitry Peskov . Russia considers the sanctions illegal, and the lifting of Western restrictions is one of the conditions for a settlement that Putin voiced.

As for dialogue with the new US authorities, including on ending the conflict with Ukraine, the Russian side has repeatedly stated its readiness for it. The Kremlin noted that Russia has not yet received proposals for a settlement from representatives of Trump's team.

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