Firefighters extinguishing a fire at the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv. Image: Supplied by Ukraine via The Mirror.
(The Post News) – U.S. President Donald Trump declared he is ready to impose “phase two” of sanctions against Russia after Russian missiles struck a Ukrainian government building for the first time.
On Sunday evening, Trump, who has been serving as mediator between Russia and Ukraine, was asked by a reporter at the White House whether he was ready to move to “the second phase.” A visibly frustrated Trump replied, “Yeah, I am,” offering no further elaboration.
Trump has spent months negotiating with both sides to secure a ceasefire between the countries, locked in conflict since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. On several occasions, he had unsuccessfully threatened a new wave of sanctions against Moscow in a bid to pressure the nuclear-armed nation into agreeing to a truce.
Russia is already subject to more than 16,000 sanctions following its invasion, yet its economy grew by 3.6% in the 2023/2024 financial year, buoyed by record oil exports to Asia—particularly India—after European and American buyers cut back.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Washington and the European Union may introduce “secondary tariffs” on nations purchasing Russian oil in order to cripple Moscow’s economy and force President Vladimir Putin to negotiate.
The Aerial Assault Triggering a New Sanctions Push
Officials described the strike as the heaviest aerial assault to date. Overnight into Sunday, Russia launched 810 drones, four ballistic missiles, and nine cruise missiles into the Ukrainian capital. The barrage struck a government building, damaged residential homes, killed four people, injured 44 others, and caused widespread destruction across the city.
European officials and Trump administration special envoy Keith Kellogg agreed that the latest attack shows Russia has little interest in ending the war through diplomacy. EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan will meet with U.S. counterparts in Washington on Monday to discuss the specifics of potential new measures.
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