U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed threats of sanctions against Russia if there is no progress toward a peace settlement in Ukraine within the next two weeks. Speaking at the White House on Friday, Trump expressed frustration over Moscow’s recent deadly strike on a Ukrainian factory, saying, “I’m not happy about it, and I’m not happy about anything having to do with that war.”
Trump indicated that the U.S. could impose “massive sanctions, massive tariffs, or both” if the situation does not improve, while leaving open the possibility of taking no action.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of blocking a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin, calling such a summit essential to ending the conflict. He told reporters, “Since they don’t want to end it, they will look for space to avoid it.”
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said an agenda for the meeting is “not ready at all,” echoing Moscow’s stance that a summit cannot happen until conditions are met. Trump likened the potential cooperation between the two leaders to “oil and vinegar,” adding, “We’ll see.”