U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (not pictured) and European leaders amid negotiations to extremity the Russian warfare successful Ukraine, astatine the White House successful Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025.
Alexander Drago | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said connected Sunday helium is acceptable to determination to a 2nd signifier of sanctioning Russia, the closest helium has travel to suggesting helium is connected the verge of ramping up sanctions against Moscow oregon its lipid buyers implicit the warfare successful Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Moscow with further sanctions but withheld them arsenic helium pursued bid talks.
The latest comments suggest an progressively assertive posture, but Trump stopped abbreviated of saying helium was committed to specified a determination oregon what a 2nd signifier mightiness entail.
Asked by a newsman astatine the White House if helium is acceptable to determination to "the 2nd phase" of sanctions against Russia, Trump responded, "Yeah, I am." He did not elaborate.
Trump has been frustrated by his inability to bring a halt to the warring aft helium initially predicted helium would beryllium capable to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine swiftly erstwhile helium took bureau successful January.
The White House did not instantly respond to an email connected Sunday seeking remark astir what steps Trump was contemplating. The speech was a follow-up to Trump's comments connected Wednesday defending the actions helium had taken already connected Russia, including imposing punitive tariffs connected India's U.S.-bound exports past month.
India is simply a large purchaser of Russia's vigor exports, portion Western buyers person chopped backmost successful effect to the war.
"That outgo hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia," Trump said connected Wednesday. "You telephone that nary action? And I haven't done signifier 2 yet oregon signifier three."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said connected Sunday that the U.S. and the European Union could heap "secondary tariffs connected the countries that bargain Russian oil," pushing the Russian system to the brink of illness and bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
China is simply a large purchaser of Russian vigor exports.
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