DONALD Trump finally said he was ready to hit Vladamir Putin with a fresh round of sanctions as peace talks stall.
The threat came just hours after Russia launched the largest air attack on Ukraine in the entire three-and-a-half year bombardment, dashing hopes of a ceasefire.
Trump said he would slap the Russian dictator with further sanctions[/caption]
Russia launched its biggest air attack of the entire three-and-a-half year war on Ukraine today[/caption]
The US President’s attempts to get the Kremlin tyrant around the table with Ukraine’s Zelensky have so far been rebuffed by Moscow.
Asked today if he was ready to ratchet up pressure through so-called secondary sanctions on countries that are continuing to trade with Russia, the President simply replied: “Yes.”
He had previously warned he was not yet ready to make that threat, but upped his rhetoric as he departed the White House to watch the US Open final in New York.
His comments came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant warned a fresh round of sanctions on Russian oil exports would “collapse” their economy.
He told NBC’s Meet the Press: “We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, but we need our European partners to follow us.”
“We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up, versus how long can the Russian economy hold up?”
He added. “And if the U.S. and the EU can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in total collapse, and that will bring President Putin to the table.”
A baby is among four people killed after Vladimir Putin unleashed the largest drone barrage of his devastating war.
A woman, 32, and her two-month-old son were found dead in Kyiv with dozens injured as Russia hit the capital’s main government building.
At least 805 drones, a dozen ballistic and cruise missiles were launched across 20 Ukrainian cities overnight.
In Kyiv, the cabinet of ministers building was in flames following the horror strikes, Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
He said the ruthless assault started with with drones raining down, before a salvo of missiles hit.
It was the first time in the war the offices of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers had been struck.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed the attack in the early hours of Sunday morning, adding that the government building’s roof and upper floors were damaged “due to an enemy attack”.
High-rise buildings and a nursery were hit in the savage onslaught in Kyiv.
