Prepared for further sanctions against Russia due to ongoing Ukraine conflict, as stated by Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled his readiness to move forward with a second phase of sanctions against Russia, following his statement at the White House. Trump's comments mark the closest he has come to suggesting he is on the verge of ramping up sanctions against Moscow or its oil buyers over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Trump has been frustrated by his inability to bring a halt to the fighting in Ukraine, and in response, he has threatened to impose significantly higher tariffs on Russia’s trading partners—including major buyers like China and India—within a ten-day deadline if there is no ceasefire or peace agreement. However, he has not yet implemented these measures, and it remains unclear what a second phase of sanctions might entail.

The U.S. President defended actions taken on Russia, including imposing punitive tariffs on India's U.S.-bound exports last month. Trump stated that the imposed tariffs cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia.

Trump's latest comments suggest an increasingly aggressive posture, but he stopped short of committing to such a decision. When asked by a reporter at the White House if he is ready to move to "the second phase" of sanctions against Russia, Trump responded "Yeah, I am."

The White House did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about what steps Trump is contemplating regarding the second phase of sanctions against Russia. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that the U.S. and European Union could impose secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, which could potentially bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

The imposition of secondary tariffs could push the Russian economy to the brink of collapse, given Russia's heavy reliance on energy exports, particularly to major buyers like China and India. Western buyers have already cut back on purchasing Russian energy exports in response to the war.

India is a major buyer of Russia's energy exports, and it remains to be seen how the country will respond to any potential escalation of U.S. sanctions. Trump's threats to impose tariffs have been a part of his strategy to pressure Putin, but he has withheld them as he pursued peace talks.

Trump has repeatedly threatened Moscow with further sanctions, but so far, he has not followed through. The future of U.S.-Russia relations and the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine continue to be topics of global interest and concern.

Prepared for further sanctions against Russia due to ongoing Ukraine conflict, as stated by Trump