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Trump expresses hesitation on imposing new sanctions on Russia

The US president says Putin may be intentionally delaying negotiations on a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine

Trump expresses hesitation on imposing Russia sanctions

US President Donald Trump takes questions from the press during a swearing-in ceremony for the interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Reuters

Published : 29 May 2025, 12:07 AM

Updated : 29 May 2025, 12:07 AM

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed hesitation toward imposing new sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, saying he did not want the penalties to interfere with getting a ceasefire.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said on sanctions: "If I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that."

Trump also said Russian President Vladimir Putin may be intentionally delaying negotiations on a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine and expressed disappointment at recent Russian bombing.

"We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not, and if he is, we'll respond a little differently," Trump said.