After Russia unleashed its heaviest bombardment on Ukraine since the war began, former U.S. President Donald Trump is warning of tougher sanctions against Moscow.
Sunday’s attacks were devastating — four people were killed, including a mother and her baby. For the first time, Ukraine’s main government building in Kyiv was also damaged. Ukraine says the assault involved more than 800 drones and over a dozen missiles.
Speaking after the strikes, Trump told reporters he was “not happy with the whole situation” and suggested he’s ready to move to what he called the “second phase” of punishing Russia. But he didn’t explain what that would look like. This isn’t the first time Trump has threatened stronger measures — previously he’s drawn red lines and warned Putin, but no new action followed.
The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has also been pushing for harsher economic pressure. He told NBC that if European countries step up sanctions — especially by targeting nations that keep buying Russian oil — the Russian economy could be driven into “total collapse,” which he believes would eventually force Putin to negotiate.
Right now, Washington’s boldest move has been a steep 50% tariff on imports from India, meant to punish Delhi for continuing to purchase Russian oil. Trump has floated the idea of extending similar penalties to other countries, but he hasn’t acted on it yet.
European leaders are expected to visit Washington this week to discuss next steps. Trump also hinted that he might speak directly with Putin in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging Europe to fully cut ties with Russian energy. He praised Trump’s tariff strategy, saying it’s “the right idea” to choke off Moscow’s revenue.
Since launching its full-scale invasion in March 2022, Russia has raked in nearly \$1 trillion from oil and gas sales, according to independent researchers. China and India remain its biggest customers, while the EU has reduced its reliance but won’t fully phase out Russian energy until 2027.
Despite mounting sanctions, Russia is working to deepen ties elsewhere. Just last week, Moscow and Beijing announced plans to expand gas supplies, and OPEC+ — the alliance of oil-producing nations that includes Russia — agreed to boost production. That move could lower global oil prices, potentially making it harder for the West to squeeze Russia’s economy. Photo by Photo by Gage Skidmorefrom Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.