President Donald J. Trump reportedly signaled caution on Wednesday over the prospect of imposing new sanctions on Moscow, saying he wants to assess Russian President Vladimir V. Putin’s willingness to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine before taking further action.
“If I think I’m close to getting a deal, I don’t want to screw it up by doing that,” Trump said from the Oval Office, referring to possible sanctions. He added that he expects to know “in about two weeks” whether Putin is negotiating in good faith or simply stalling.
The president’s comments come amid an intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine.
This week, Russia launched one of its largest drone and missile strikes of the war, escalating tensions and prompting renewed calls from lawmakers for the U.S. to respond more forcefully.
Trump has expressed frustration with Putin, whom he accused of “playing with fire,” though he stopped short of announcing new penalties.
“We’re going to find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not,” Trump said. “And if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently.”
The administration has reportedly considered new measures targeting Moscow, and people familiar with the discussions say sanctions could still be enacted as early as this week, depending on developments in the talks.
Trump, however, sought to distance himself from the conflict, placing responsibility on others. “This isn’t my war,” he said. “This is Biden’s war, Zelensky’s war, and Putin’s war. This isn’t Trump’s war.”
Still, he claimed credit for restraining Russia’s aggression. In a social media post earlier this week, Trump wrote, “If it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD.”
Pressed for details on how the U.S. would respond to continued Russian escalation, Trump pivoted to broader geopolitical concerns, including tensions in the Middle East.
“We’re not happy about that situation,” he said, referencing the war in Gaza. “I think we’re doing very well with Iran. We’re doing very well with Gaza.”
He said talks with Iran over its nuclear program were progressing. “We’re having very good talks,” Trump noted.
“They still have to agree to the final stages of a document, but I think you could be very well surprised what happens there.”
The administration’s goal is to roll back Iran’s nuclear capabilities, which U.S. officials believe are nearing weaponization. In exchange, Iran is seeking relief from American sanctions that have battered its economy.
Trump also confirmed he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid military action that could disrupt diplomatic efforts with Tehran. “To be honest, yes, I did,” he said.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, who sat beside the president during the Oval Office briefing, added that a new proposal for a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas may be imminent.
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