The Wall Street Journal has reported that U.S. President Donald Trump may introduce sanctions targeting Russia as soon as this week, according to insider sources.
These sources indicate Trump's growing frustration with the sluggish progress of peace negotiations and Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to halt military aggression. However, one WSJ source noted that the planned sanctions are not expected to target Russia's banking sector. Instead, the Trump administration is reportedly exploring alternative measures to increase pressure on Putin.
The newspaper's sources also revealed that Trump, weary of prolonged peace talks, is contemplating withdrawing from negotiations entirely if sanctions fail to produce results.
On May 26, Trump posted on Truth Social, accusing Putin of "needlessly killing many people, not just soldiers," and attacking Ukrainian cities "without justification." He went so far as to claim that Putin had "gone mad."
The Kremlin dismissed Trump's remarks as an "emotional outburst" triggered by the onset of diplomatic discussions.