The United States government is set to implement a considerable increase in sanctions targeting Russia, as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that these measures would be “substantial” and are expected to be revealed soon, possibly by the end of the day or early the next morning.
Bessent provided no specific details about the nature of these new sanctions. His comments were made just before NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s scheduled meeting at the White House. Rutte expressed his hope that discussions would cover how to advance President Trump’s “vision of peace” concerning the conflict.
Earlier that day, Rutte had stated his belief that Trump is uniquely positioned to “get this done.” The announcement of new sanctions follows a period of intense Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, which resulted in at least seven fatalities, including two children. This escalation occurred shortly after President Trump indicated that planned talks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest had been called off.
U.S. lawmakers, including members of the Republican party, have been awaiting approval from the White House to proceed with a bill that proposes stringent sanctions against Russia. This legislation would also target countries that continue to purchase oil from Russia.