OMM Newsroom
US President Donald Trump said Sunday he would not sign a document imposing additional measures on Russia for now, arguing that doing so could undermine negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, Anadolu Agency reported.
“My decision on Russia is a very simple one,” Trump wrote on his “Truth Social” platform. He said he was negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine and did not want to take an action that would “drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.”
Trump said “great progress” was being made in the negotiations, including ongoing “hostage negotiations.” He did not provide details about the talks or identify the hostages he was referring to, and said he could sign the document later or “any time” he wanted.
Congress-approved measures remain delayed
The statement came amid controversy over the administration’s decision to delay new sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia and countries that buy Russian energy.
The measures approved by Congress include sanctions against Russian officials, banks and energy traders, as well as the possibility of steep tariffs on countries that continue to import Russian oil and gas.
Trump also cited Russia’s limited support for Iran as a reason not to increase pressure on Moscow. “Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared to what they could be doing, and I want to keep it that way,” he said.
Trump criticizes Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries
Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil and diesel refineries. He said Zelenskyy was targeting Russian diesel facilities despite knowing the attacks were “seriously hurting the world diesel markets,” including in the US.
He argued that farmers, ranchers and businesses were suffering from higher fuel costs, while Russia continued to supply “millions of barrels” of diesel to international markets at low prices. “Zelenskyy doesn’t care,” Trump said, accusing the Ukrainian leader of having no interest in ending the war.
Trump claimed Zelenskyy could have secured a better agreement two years earlier, and said Ukraine was now in ruins, had lost a large amount of territory and had suffered heavy casualties. “I WANT THIS WAR END!” he added.
Trump has faced criticism from Kyiv and lawmakers in both major US parties over his approach to Russia, including the postponement of additional sanctions and Washington’s decision to authorize imports of Russian diesel. Zelenskyy has argued that easing pressure on Moscow would encourage Russia to continue the war rather than bring it to an end.
Ukraine has defended its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as a response to Moscow’s continuing strikes on Ukrainian power facilities and as an effort to reduce revenue available for Russia’s military campaign. Trump has repeatedly called on Kyiv to stop targeting Russian refineries, arguing that the attacks are contributing to higher global energy prices.
