President Donald Trump avoided to give a definite answer on his commitment to slap further sanctions on Russia yesterday when asked during a press conference saying “it is up to Putin”. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin wants to hold a meeting with President Trump with his aide saying the meeting could take place in the coming days. President Trump also confirmed the meeting with European leaders and publicly in another press conference. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine should be involved in any discussions to protect its independence.
President Trump was meant to slap new sanctions and tariffs on buyers of Russian oil on August 10th if Russia doesn’t stop its war in Ukraine, but ambiguity has taken over this commitment after President Trump hailed Steve Witkoff’s meeting with Putin at the Kremlin as productive.
President Trump is insisting that the war in Ukraine should end to stop the killing but other than capitulation for Ukraine, Trump is not proposing other alternatives. Russia is making minimal gains in the Ukrainian frontlines at a huge cost and at least 1,000 Russian army casualties per day. The Russian economy is also going through severe financial and economic stress with oil revenues dwindling, a systematic credit crisis and high inflation. The Moscow stock exchange and the Russian Ruble rose last Wednesday following President Trump’s comments on Witkoff’s meeting with Putin.
Meanwhile, Russia struck several Ukrainian cities with drones overnight including the city of Kremenchuk and Kherson. The Ukrainian air-defences intercepted most of them.
Newsroom
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