President Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated his warnings to
Russian President Vladimir Putin, declaring that the Kremlin leader is “playing
with fire” by refusing to seriously engage in peace talks to end the ongoing
war in Ukraine.
Though Trump has offered to reset U.S.-Russia relations
contingent on a negotiated peace, frustration is mounting in the White House as
Putin continues to rebuff diplomatic overtures. Still, Trump has not yet
decided whether to impose new penalties on Moscow, despite pressure from
advisers and lawmakers.
“Putin is getting dangerously close to burning the golden
bridge President Trump has extended,” said a senior administration official,
who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Four U.S. officials confirmed that Trump has not made a
final decision on additional sanctions, even as Russian forces intensify their
assaults in Ukraine. On Capitol Hill, pro-Ukraine lawmakers are urging the
president to follow through on his warnings, while European allies are
preparing contingency plans in case Trump opts out of stronger action.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized his pivotal role
in restraining Russia: “If it weren’t for me, a lot of really bad things
would’ve happened to Russia already — and I mean REALLY BAD. Putin is playing
with fire!”
He echoed this stance in comments to reporters on Sunday,
stating he is “absolutely” considering further economic sanctions and
characterizing Putin as having “gone absolutely CRAZY.”
Although Trump has repeatedly issued stern warnings since
taking office, he has yet to follow them with concrete measures. Putin,
meanwhile, has continued to express rhetorical support for peace while
intensifying military operations.
Kurt Volker, Trump’s former special envoy to Ukraine,
expressed skepticism: “I seriously doubt Trump will ever implement real
sanctions. He’s had countless chances and always backed off.”
Trump’s criticism of Putin has also been tempered by his
criticism of other players. In a Sunday post, he assigned partial blame for the
war to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former President Joe Biden.
“This war is Joe Biden’s fault, and President Trump has been
clear he wants a negotiated peace,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“He’s kept all options on the table.”
Fred Fleitz, vice chair of the America First Policy
Institute, praised Trump’s diplomatic efforts but echoed the president’s
growing impatience. “If this isn’t resolved, the window for negotiations could
close within the next four to six weeks, and Trump may move forward with strong
sanctions.”
In calls with European leaders last week after speaking
separately with Zelenskyy and Putin, Trump suggested that recent Western
sanctions may have discouraged Putin from entering ceasefire talks. While
frustrated, Trump reportedly made clear he still hopes to avoid heavy-handed
economic penalties, favoring a softer approach to coax Russia toward diplomacy.
European officials are becoming increasingly convinced that
Trump’s strategy isn’t producing results. “The Kremlin isn’t responding to the
light-touch approach,” said one diplomat, “and Trump may be starting to realize
that.”
Advisers inside and outside the administration have warned
that sweeping sanctions could hurt U.S. businesses and derail future peace
prospects, one official said.
Meanwhile, some Republicans in Congress are rallying behind
legislation to sanction Russia — but are seeking Trump’s backing. Senate GOP
leadership supports a bipartisan sanctions package but is reluctant to advance
it without a clear signal from the president.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune said the bill would likely
pass easily but cautioned that timing depends on the administration’s posture.
“If Russia refuses diplomacy, we will work with the White House on additional
sanctions,” he said last week.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) reinforced the message in a
social media post: “If Russia stalls, the Senate will act decisively to bring
lasting peace.”
Despite the pressure, Senate Republicans remain cautious.
Some have discussed moving forward without Trump’s explicit support, but
acknowledge it could split the party. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said Thune may
still bring the bill forward regardless, though a green light from Trump would
help unify the GOP.
Most pressure on Trump to act has come from Sen. Lindsey
Graham, who has worked with administration officials to fine-tune the bill and
recently met with foreign allies while traveling with Secretary of State Marco
Rubio.
“I’ve told our partners that the Senate is an independent
body and we are moving to hold Putin accountable,” Graham said in a letter to
the Wall Street Journal.
European leaders and Russia experts say Moscow appears to
want to separate the war in Ukraine from broader U.S.-Russia relations. “Russia
wants to decouple bilateral ties from the Ukraine issue,” said one European
official. “They see potential for cooperation if the war ends.”
Both Russian and U.S. officials have hinted at possible
economic opportunities in a post-war environment. “Russia wants major TRADE
with the United States after this bloodbath ends — and I agree,” Trump posted
following his most recent call with Putin.
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