The administration of President Donald Trump called for Russia to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing war with Ukraine on Wednesday, after unveiling new sanctions against major Russian oil companies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s “refusal to end this senseless war” while announcing the sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil and their subsidiaries. Bessent said the companies “fund the Kremlin war machine.”
“Treasury is prepared to take further action if necessary to support President Trump’s effort to end yet another war. We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions,” he wrote.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump hoped the sanctions would not last long and shared similar demands for a quick end to the war. His remarks came shortly after he cancelled a planned meeting with Putin, saying they would be a “waste of time.”
“It just didn’t feel right to me. It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get,” he said. “But we’ll do it in the future.”
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Trump said he hoped the sanctions would open Putin up to talking about concessions.
“I always felt he wanted the full thing. I think now he’s willing to negotiate a little bit further,” Trump said. “I think he’s willing to make a deal. We’ll see. We don’t want him to have the whole thing.”
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