CNN: Trump wary of sanctioning Russia over fears of derailing Ukraine peace talks

Three weeks after a high-profile but inconclusive summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump is walking a diplomatic tightrope — balancing pressure on Moscow with his reluctance to take actions that might unravel fragile negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

An article by CNN, argues that Trump has grown “increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress in the peace process” and is concerned that adopting harsher measures against Russia could “undermine the negotiations.” This concern comes amid intensifying calls from both domestic and international actors urging a tougher US stance toward Moscow.

“The European Commission's objective is crystal clear: EU countries must stop importing [Russian energy resources] as soon as possible,” said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen earlier this week. “Once this decision is made, Europe will never again buy a single molecule of Russian gas.” Yet Trump is now urging Europe — rather than the US — to do more.

In a call with European leaders on September 4, Trump emphasized that European nations must stop buying Russian oil, which he said is financing the Kremlin’s war efforts. “Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war — as Russia received €1.1 billion in fuel sales from the EU in one year,” a White House official said after the call. “The president also emphasized that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also joined the call and later noted that the discussion focused on applying “economic pressure on Russia” and “depriving Russia’s war machine of money.”

Yet Trump’s own position reveals inconsistencies. While pressing Europe to take a firmer line on China’s role in supporting Russia, the US president has so far refrained from implementing sanctions on Beijing himself — citing ongoing trade negotiations that he appears unwilling to jeopardize.

On September3, Trump told reporters he planned to speak with Putin again “soon” to determine “what we’re going to be doing.” When asked whether he would approve severe direct sanctions if Russia failed to meet the latest peace deadline, which expires on September 5, Trump responded ambiguously: “Whatever his decision is, we’ll either be happy about it, or unhappy. And if we’re unhappy about it, you’ll see things happen.”

Behind the scenes Trump is still weighing whether to personally facilitate a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy — a move that could make or break current diplomatic momentum.

While the White House maintains that the US is prepared to offer limited security guarantees to Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached, Trump's cautious posture signals a growing concern that punitive measures could derail a diplomatic outcome he hopes to personally steer.

By Vafa Guliyeva