US President Donald Trump vented his anger at his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin yesterday, saying he canceled a planned meeting in Budapest because he did not feel it would lead “to where we need to go”, that his talks with him have led “nowhere” and announcing new sanctions, which he described as “huge”, on Russian groups energy sector to force, it hopes, Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the European Union announced on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement on even tougher sanctions on Russian hydrocarbons and is discussing the use of frozen state-owned Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine, despite reservations expressed by some member states about such a move.

“The penalties are huge”

“These are huge sanctions (…) We hope they won’t last too long. We hope the war will end,” said US President Trump welcoming NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House.

An announcement that was welcomed a few hours later by Olga Stefanyshina, the ambassador of Ukraine in Washington. “This decision is fully in line with Ukraine’s steadfast position that peace cannot be secured except by force and maximum pressure on the aggressor and with the help of all available international tools,” Ms. Stefanyshina said via X.

Donald Trump, who has avoided making a decision on the new sanctions for months, insisted yesterday that his talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine have gone “nowhere”, the day after the two’s planned summit in Budapest was postponed indefinitely, much to the dismay of Brussels.

“Every time I talk to Vladimir, we have good talks, but then they don’t go anywhere,” the US president said.

“I canceled the meeting with President Putin. I didn’t feel good for her. I didn’t feel like it was going to get us where we needed to go. So I canceled it, but we will do it in the future,” he added.

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant announced sanctions on Russian energy groups Rosneft and Lukoil, accusing Moscow of “lacking a serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine”.

However, Washington appeared to be trying not to close the door on talks with Russia. “We’re always interested in dialogue if there’s a chance we can reach peace” in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters.

Yesterday’s announcements were made after a new wave of Russian attacks in Ukraine with over 400 drones and 300 missiles against Kiev, which left seven dead.

An attack by Russian drones in Kharkiv against, among others, a private kindergarten was highlighted by the Ukrainian authorities, with the mayor of the city in the northeastern part of the country, Ihor Terekhov, speaking via Telegram of one dead and ten injured.

The new US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil coincide with the EU’s agreement to completely ban the import of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), with measures against the Russian “ghost” fleet, i.e. the tankers with which Moscow circumvents international sanctions, and while new announcements from Brussels on the Ukraine at the summit, part of which will be attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Tomorrow Friday, London is organizing a meeting of the “alliance of the willing”.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent said in a statement released by his administration that Washington is willing to “go further if necessary” and that “we urge our allies to join us in adopting these sanctions.”

Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington praised the sanctions imposed on Russia by the administration of US President Donald Trump, stressing that only shows of force are effective against Moscow.

“This decision is fully in line with Ukraine’s steadfast position that peace cannot be secured except by force and maximum pressure on the aggressor and with the help of all available international tools,” Olga Stefanyshina said via X.

150 Gripen

NATO Secretary General Rutte, who appeared to play down tensions between Trump and Zelensky, reiterated that the US president is “the only one” who can ensure “lasting peace” in Ukraine, leaving aside his refusal to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to the Ukrainian military.

Trump repeated his denial yesterday, citing the complexities of using them.

However, in their statements to the press, Rutte judged that the increased and coordinated pressure of the West can “change the calculations” of the President of Russia Putin and “lead him to the negotiating table”, if not bring a ceasefire.

He said he is “absolutely confident” that will happen, “maybe not today or tomorrow”, but “we will wait for it”.

Meanwhile, Ukraine yesterday co-signed a letter of intent with Sweden for the purchase of 100 to 150 latest generation Gripen E multi-role combat aircraft.