President Donald Trump has signaled his intention to move forward with a “second phase” of sanctions against Russia and its oil trading partners, marking the strongest indication yet that his administration plans to escalate economic pressure on Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The announcement came after Russia conducted what officials described as its largest airstrike of the conflict, deploying more than 800 drones and over a dozen missiles that targeted Ukrainian government buildings, including hitting Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers building. The attack killed at least four people and set a Kyiv government building ablaze.
When asked by reporters whether he was ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia, Trump responded affirmatively, saying “Yeah, I am.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the United States would need European partners to follow their lead, stating that coordinated US-EU sanctions could severely damage Russia’s economy and bring President Putin to the negotiating table.
The proposed sanctions would target Russia’s financial and energy sectors, building on earlier measures implemented during Trump’s presidency. Senior US officials have emphasized that purchases of Russian oil by major economies are directly helping sustain the Kremlin’s war efforts in Ukraine. The administration has already imposed 50% tariffs on India over its continued imports of Russian oil, a move that New Delhi has called “unjustified and unreasonable.”
This represents a significant shift in Trump’s approach, as he has previously resisted ramping up sanctions against Moscow while pursuing peace talks. The President has been in direct communication with European Union leadership to coordinate further action, suggesting additional sanctions phases could follow as part of a joint pressure campaign.
The timing of the announcement underscores growing frustration within the Trump administration as fighting continues to intensify despite repeated vows to end the war quickly. The proposed secondary sanctions would target countries that purchase Russian oil, with officials warning that coordinated action between the US and EU could lead to Russia’s economic collapse.
Military tensions have also escalated elsewhere, with Russia firing approximately 19 drones into Polish airspace, prompting NATO’s first-ever engagement of potential threats in allied airspace. Trump responded to the incident on social media, writing “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”