President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sanctions on Russia in response to its missile attacks on Ukraine and the halt on U.S. weapons and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Trump urged both nations to accelerate peace talks, hinting at implementing banking restrictions, sanctions, and tariffs on Russia until a peace deal is reached. The U.S. and its allies already have existing sanctions on Russia, which the Trump administration aims to strictly enforce, as part of efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine following the 2022 invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was given an ultimatum by Trump shortly after taking office to negotiate a deal or face severe economic consequences. The recent missile attacks by Russia on Ukraine have resulted in damage to vital energy infrastructure, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to call for a ceasefire. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for Russia to halt its attacks to pave the way for peace negotiations.

The strained relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine was further exacerbated after a contentious meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, leading to a pause in military assistance. However, Trump’s administration has since signaled a willingness to engage in peace discussions with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia. The administration is exploring both incentives and penalties to bring all parties to the negotiating table with the shared goal of ending the conflict and saving lives. Ukrainian officials have echoed support for tougher sanctions on Russia if it continues its attacks on Ukraine.