Trump sanctions against Russia are conspicuously missing as tensions with Moscow hit record levels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited a trilateral summit with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. In parallel, he is pressuring Trump to impose long-promised sanctions.
Despite the repeated Russian provocations—encompassing huge drone attacks and spurned peace initiatives—Trump has up until now refrained. His annoyance with Putin is evident, but action remains in abeyance. The delay has raised anxieties in Kyiv, where the human toll of the war continues to grow.
Zelenskyy Calls for a Three-Way Dialogue
Volodymyr Zelenskyy revived an earlier suggestion of a three-way conference with Trump and Putin. Zelenskyy expressed his readiness to accept any kind of format, be it trilateral or bilateral. The invitation followed a similar one earlier this month during face-to-face Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Turkey.
Vladimir Putin had turned it down at the time and responded with a low-level team instead. Trump also refused to take part.
Frustration Builds, Still No Action
Donald Trump has not been quiet. He recently attacked Putin, labeling him “absolutely crazy.” He wondered what had become of the Russian leader, saying, “He’s killing a lot of people.” The comments were made hours before Russia launched its most deadly aerial attack in months, which killed at least 12 and injured dozens more in Ukraine.
Though Trump used some very tough rhetoric, he has not yet acted decisively. He is said to be mulling sanctions and even removing restrictions on the employment of Western-provided arms by Ukraine. Nothing has yet officially been announced, however.
Sanctions Still Under Discussion
Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that sanctions were included in his discussions with Trump. He was particularly highlighting two very specific targets: the energy and banking sectors of Russia. “We are waiting for sanctions from the United States,” he said. He stressed the time sensitivity, inquiring if Trump could move quickly.
Why the Delay?
The postponement of Trump sanctions against Russia seems to be due to a mix of strategic calculations. First, Trump might still be considering the geopolitical implications of slapping new sanctions, particularly on sensitive industries such as energy and banking. Sanctions of that magnitude would destabilize world markets and invite more instability.
Second, he might be using the threat of sanctions intentionally as a diplomatic tool in the hope it might encourage Russia into meaningful talks. Lastly, there is a chance that Trump is keeping his fingers crossed for a bigger peace deal—one that includes both Putin and Zelenskyy—either through direct or trilateral negotiations.
This wait-and-watch strategy, however, takes a toll of great cost as war continues and casualties among civilians mount.
Pressure Builds as War Intensifies
With Putin’s friend Dmitry Medvedev publicly discussing annexing a large part of Ukraine, the war is not letting up. Appeals by Ukraine for sanctions are growing louder. Trump is now presented with an unequivocal choice: strike back firmly or let the Kremlin march on unabated.
