Considering Abandoning Mediation if Pressure Fails
With ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine making little progress, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 26th (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering imposing additional sanctions on Russia this week to pressure the negotiations. If this pressure does not work, the administration is also considering abandoning the ceasefire talks altogether.
According to sources, the new sanctions are not expected to include measures against the banking sector. However, various options are being discussed to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to make concessions in the negotiations. The sources also said that President Trump is growing weary of the peace talks and is considering a complete halt to negotiations if this final push proves ineffective.
WSJ described this as a surprising shift for President Trump, who had promised to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office.
President Trump has long claimed that his personal rapport with President Putin would allow him to bring the war to an end. However, he has failed to extract concessions from Russia in the peace talks, and Russia is reigniting the conflict.
According to the British daily The Guardian and other outlets, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine from the night of the 25th using 355 Shahed-type attack drones and 9 cruise missiles. This was the largest-scale attack since the outbreak of the war. On the night of the 24th, Russia deployed about 300 drones for an attack, and on the night of the 23rd, it sent 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles.
The previous day, President Trump criticized President Putin on his social media platform Truth Social, stating, "I have always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him," and called him "absolutely CRAZY." He also revealed that he is seriously considering additional sanctions against Russia.
WSJ reported that close allies of President Trump, such as Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, are also urging him that President Putin does not want a negotiated settlement and that only pressure will bring him to the negotiating table.
However, officials said President Trump's judgment has been influenced by several factors: his personal dislike of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his belief that additional sanctions could hinder efforts to restore U.S.-Russia economic relations, and his view that President Putin might end the war as a personal favor.
In this regard, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told WSJ, "President Trump has made it clear that he wants a peace agreement through negotiations," adding, "He has also carefully considered all options."
WSJ noted that it remains uncertain what would happen if the U.S. withdraws from the peace talks, and whether President Trump will continue military support for Ukraine.
The New York Times (NYT) reported that as the U.S. steps back and refrains from providing additional military aid to Ukraine, Russia is seizing the opportunity. President Trump has not approved any new military aid packages for Ukraine since taking office, nor has he commented on whether he will use the $3.85 billion in aid funds approved by the U.S. Congress. While weapons supplied under the previous Joe Biden administration are reaching the Ukrainian battlefield, NYT noted that it is uncertain whether the Trump administration will continue to allow Ukraine to purchase U.S. weapons.
Meanwhile, on this day, the European Union (EU) announced that it is accelerating additional sanctions against Russia following the large-scale drone attacks. Previously, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that she would push for additional sanctions on Russia's financial sector and strengthen the price cap on Russian oil in coordination with the Group of Seven (G7) nations. Additionally, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany and other major Western allies have lifted range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine.
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