US-European sanctions could ‘collapse’ Russian economy: Trump aide

Scott Bessent calls for secondary tariffs connected Russian lipid importers to bring President Vladimir Putin ‘to the table’.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signalled that Washington is acceptable to tighten sanctions connected Russia and urged European allies to assistance “collapse” the Russian system by pressuring countries that proceed to bargain Moscow’s oil.

Speaking to NBC News connected Sunday, Bessent said the struggle has go “a contention present betwixt however agelong tin the Ukrainian subject clasp up, versus however agelong tin the Russian system clasp up”.

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According to Bessent, further sanctions and secondary tariffs connected nations importing Russian crude would propulsion the Russian system “into full collapse” and bring President Vladimir Putin “to the table”.

“We are prepared to summation unit connected Russia, but we request our European partners to travel us,” said Bessent.

The informing comes a period aft the medication of US President Donald Trump slapped 50 percent tariffs connected India implicit its continued purchases of Russian oil, among the steepest levies Washington has imposed connected immoderate country.

Hours earlier Bessent’s remarks, Russia carried retired what Ukrainian officials described arsenic its largest aerial assault since the penetration began successful 2022. The overnight strikes killed astatine slightest 4 radical and ignited a authorities gathering successful Kyiv.

US Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg condemned the onslaught connected Sunday, penning connected X that Moscow “appears to beryllium escalating with the largest onslaught of the war, hitting offices of the UKR Cabinet successful Kyiv.”

“The onslaught was not a awesome that Russia wants to diplomatically extremity this war,” helium added.

Trump besides hinted connected Sunday astatine a tougher stance, suggesting helium was prepared to escalate sanctions against Moscow oregon its lipid buyers.

Asked astatine the White House whether helium was acceptable to determination to “the 2nd phase” of sanctions, the US president replied, “Yeah, I am,” but declined to supply details.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to summation unit connected Russia, but has stopped abbreviated of committing to circumstantial measures, adjacent arsenic helium struggles to present connected promises to extremity the warfare quickly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the imaginable of penalties connected states inactive doing concern with Moscow.

In an interrogation with ABC connected Sunday, helium said: “I’m precise thankful to each the partners, but immoderate of them, I mean, they proceed [to] bargain lipid and Russian state and this is not fair… I deliberation the thought to enactment tariffs connected the countries that proceed marque deals with Russia, I deliberation this is the close idea.”

For months, Trump has been pushing to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict, to nary avail.

Last week, helium travelled to Alaska for his archetypal gathering with Putin since starting his 2nd term. Shortly afterwards, helium hosted Zelenskyy and European leaders successful Washington for discussions connected ending the war.

But optimism for bid has since faded, with Russia persisting successful its bombardment of Ukrainian cities.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies