US Treasury secretary threatens Russia with new sanctions
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that Washington could still impose additional sanctions on Russia, citing continued military strikes on targets in Ukraine.
Speaking to Fox News, Bessent claimed that Russia had intensified its airstrikes following last month’s Alaska summit between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and subsequent meetings at the White House with European leaders and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky.
“I think with President Trump, all options are on the table, and I think we’ll be examining those very closely this week,” Bessent said.
Trump said last month that peace had become more likely following his high-profile diplomacy. The US leader has also cautioned that Washington could sanction not only Russia but also Ukraine if no progress is made.
Moscow has repeatedly said it is open to a peace agreement and has welcomed efforts to resolve the conflict diplomatically. Russian officials described the Alaska summit as having produced significant progress.
However, the Kremlin has accused Kiev and its European backers of showing no real interest in peace, pointing to Zelensky’s refusal to cede claims over Russian territories and continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian cities, which often result in civilian casualties.
Moscow has retaliated by targeting Ukrainian military-related industrial sites, defense enterprises, and port and energy infrastructure. Russia’s Defense Ministry maintains that it never targets civilians.
Russian officials have also accused Brussels of trying to prolong the conflict by pushing “impossible demands” that sabotage Trump’s peace efforts.
Recent reports in The Atlantic and Axios have suggested that Trump himself has grown frustrated with both Kiev and European governments, viewing their demands as unrealistic.
Russian officials have said that while they would prefer to resolve the conflict diplomatically through a deal that addresses relevant security concerns and new territorial realities, Moscow is also prepared to achieve these objectives militarily if necessary.
