US President Donald Trump hinted Wednesday at fresh Russia sanctions if it fails to end its Ukraine war, saying “you’ll see things happen” if he’s dissatisfied with President Vladimir Putin’s response.
Trump will also speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, a White House official told AFP, after the Zelensky and European leaders said earlier that they expected a call.
“I have no message to President Putin, he knows where I stand, and he’ll make a decision one way or the other,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he met Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
“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.”
Trump’s comments came as Putin — who attended a huge military parade in Beijing with Xi Jinping of China and Kim Jong Un of North Korea — vowed to carry on fighting in Ukraine if a peace deal cannot be reached.
The US president’s diplomatic efforts to secure a peace deal appear to have stalled.
Putin has shown little inclination to agree to a two-way meeting that Trump said he was arranging between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Trump meanwhile has remained vague on what he will do if Putin fails to play ball.
But Trump rejected suggestions that he was soft on Moscow — citing recent secondary sanctions on India for buying Russian oil, and indicating that more could be on the table.
“You call that no action? And I haven’t done phase two and phase three yet,” added Trump, without elaborating.
Trump is now set to speak to Zelensky and European leaders on Thursday.
“I’m having a conversation with him very shortly and I’ll know pretty much what we’re going to be doing,” Trump said in response to a question from an AFP reporter.
A White House official later told AFP: “President Trump was referring to Zelensky. They will be speaking tomorrow.”
The Paris gathering will be held in a mixed format, some leaders attending in person and others via video link. The summit will be followed by phone talks with Trump, to begin at 1200 GMT, and a 1300 GMT press conference, the French presidency said.
Zelensky said earlier Wednesday that he hoped to push Trump for new sanctions.
