Trump still weighing ‘very serious’ economic sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine
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US President Donald Trump speaking in a White House Cabinet meeting on Aug 26, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Trump threatens Russia with economic sanctions if Putin refuses a ceasefire in Ukraine, aiming to avoid a "world war".
- Trump seeks one-on-one talks between Zelensky and Putin, despite slow progress and the Kremlin's reluctance.
- US and European officials discuss providing Kyiv with post-deal security guarantees, including air support and intelligence sharing.
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on Aug 26 he is prepared to impose economic sanctions against Russia if its president, Vladimir Putin, fails to agree to a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
“It’s very, very serious what I have in mind, if I have to do it, but I want to see it end,” Mr Trump told a reporter who asked if Mr Putin would face consequences.
“We have economic sanctions. I’m talking about economic because we’re not going to get into a world war.”
The president has withheld long-threatened sanctions against Mr Putin in his latest push to end the more than three-year-long war that has so far defied his efforts at mediation.
Mr Trump is seeking one-on-one talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mr Putin.
Though Mr Zelensky has agreed in principle to such talks, Mr Putin has not.
The Kremlin has suggested no such meeting is currently on the cards.
“It will not be a world war, but it will be an economic war,” Mr Trump said, at a White House Cabinet meeting. “An economic war is going to be bad, and it’s going to be bad for Russia, and I don’t want that.”
He added: “Zelensky is not exactly innocent, either.”
Despite slow diplomatic progress, US and European officials have been discussing potential security guarantees that Washington might provide Kyiv after a hypothetical deal is reached, potentially including support by air or intelligence sharing.
Mr Trump has long suggested using economic tools as leverage against warring nations. He is preparing to slap 25 per cent more in tariffs on India’s US-bound exports
India is one of the biggest consumers of Russian oil.
Mr Trump suggested on Aug 26 that he was open to “using a very strong tariff system that’s very costly to Russia or Ukraine” to make peace. REUTERS
