U
S. President Donald Trump stated that he is not currently familiar with the details of the proposed legislative bill regarding the implementation of extensive sanctions against Russia, which is supported by nearly all senators in the country. This statement was made during an informal conversation with journalists at the White House, where German Chancellor Friedrich Merz approached the president. The information about this meeting was published by the agency "European Pravda." According to Trump, he has not yet seen the text of the sanctions initiative that Republicans and Democrats are strongly promoting. At the same time, the U.S. president noted that the senators would allegedly act in accordance with his guidance and that he himself has the final say on this matter to determine the further course. These words were spoken in response to a brief question from a journalist regarding his lack of familiarity with the bill. "I haven't seen this document yet, but they (the senators – ed.) will follow my advice and decisions. That’s how it should be," Trump emphasized. At the same time, he mentioned that he could quickly familiarize himself with the document if needed. "Maybe it's even good that I am not yet familiar with the details. I need to study them carefully. The senators are waiting for me to decide how to proceed, and I will make a decision. Possibly very soon," he added. It is worth recalling that some U.S. senators have repeatedly threatened to impose sanctions measures against Russia, describing them as "crushing." However, so far, these threats have remained at the rhetorical level, and no real steps have been taken. There are several instances in history where such "harsh" crisis scenarios were halted at the level of diplomatic declarations and warnings. On the other hand, Trump himself has repeatedly emphasized that he refrains from imposing extensive sanctions if he believes such actions could negatively impact diplomatic efforts or jeopardize the prospects for reaching important agreements. Although the U.S. urges all parties to exercise restraint, the issue of sanctions against Russia remains one of the most sensitive and actively discussed topics in Washington's foreign policy circles. It is expected that in the near future, Trump will familiarize himself with the sanction bill and make a final decision regarding his support or rejection. This will be another episode in the long history of balancing diplomacy and pressure on one side, and national interests and external political considerations on the other.