Ukraine Policy Pendulum Swings Back to Pressure on Moscow

The pendulum of the Trump administration’s Ukraine policy has swung decisively back toward pressuring Moscow. The US has sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, and cancelled a planned summit with Vladimir Putin.
This shift follows growing frustration with Putin’s “maximalist demands” in peace talks. The new sanctions are the first against Russia since Trump’s return to office and are aimed at crippling the “Kremlin’s war machine.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the move, blaming Putin’s “refusal to end this senseless war” and calling for an “immediate ceasefire.”
President Trump personally confirmed the diplomatic breakdown, telling reporters he “cancelled the meeting with President Putin.” He explained, “It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get.”
The decision was hailed as a victory by Ukraine and its European allies. The EU’s Ursula von der Leyen praised the “clear signal” of “collective pressure,” as the EU readies its own 19th sanctions package, which will target Russian LNG and its illicit shipping network.