The American president salutes constructive discussions with Russia following the visit of Steve Witkoff, but maintains his sanction project towards countries that do business with Russia.
Donald Trump assured his social social network that the meeting on Wednesday of his special emissary Steve Witkoff with Vladimir Putin had been “very productive” on Wednesday and “great progress” had been made.
A senior American official, however, said that the United States still planned to set up secondary sanctions on Friday, that is to say targeting countries which are supplied with Russia, in particular oil and armaments.
The Kremlin, for its part, called “useful and constructive” discussions in Moscow as “useful and constructive” between the emissary of Donald Trump and the Russian president, two days before the expiration of the American ultimatum aimed at putting an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
Increasingly tense relationships
The tenant of the White House, who had a lot closer to Vladimir Putin after his return to power in January, now shows growing frustration in the face of Russia.
The Republican leader has repeatedly promised to end the conflict in Ukraine, triggered by the Russian invasion of February 2022, without success so far.
Donald Trump gave Russia until Friday until she stopped hostilities, under penalty of new sanctions.
These would consist in surcharging the products exported by countries that do business with Russia in the United States.
The American president has already signed a decree targeting India on Wednesday, by accusing New Delhi his Russian oil purchases.
It has concretely increased 50%, instead of 25%, customs duties on Indian products, specifying that this new surcharge would only be effective in 21 days.
The text of the decree leaves open the possibility of sanctioning in the same way of other countries providing in Russian hydrocarbons.
