Trump Opts for Moderate Sanctions Against Russia: New Opportunities and Challenges for the Kremlin
According to sources from analytical and governmental circles, the administration of former U.S.
President Donald Trump was diligently working on developing several options for economic sanctions aimed at the Russian Federation.
It is known that there were three variants—ranging from the most aggressive to the softest—of which Trump ultimately supported the middle option.
Details of this strategic proposal were revealed in international media, notably in The Wall Street Journal, which was cited by Ukrainian outlet ‘European Pravda.’ Sources indicate that these sanctions had been prepared months in advance, as a contingency plan should a decision be made to implement tougher measures against Russia.
The most severe package involved extensive economic restrictions and sanctions targeting the Russian government directly.
The ‘medium’ version focused specifically on the energy sector, targeting major Russian oil companies such as Rosneft and Lukoil, while the softer alternative proposed limited measures without significant interference in key sectors.
After consultations with Finance Minister Scott Bessent, Trump decided to proceed with these sanctions, including measures against Russian oil companies.
It is known that during a meeting on October 22, the American leader inquired of his advisors regarding the potential impacts of the decision, and support from the Treasury Secretary and Defense Secretary was secured.
Despite internal debates, Trump expressed frustration over Moscow’s apparent lack of effort for peaceful negotiations, instead continuing to destroy Ukrainian cities and communities with missile strikes.
Moreover, he was disturbed by numerous media images showing destruction, which made him question the effectiveness of Kremlin policies.
The Trump administration emphasizes that these sanctions are intended to be a strong pressure tool to force Russia to sit at the negotiating table, as the Russian economy already suffers from restrictions and volatile energy prices.
At the same time, these measures have begun to produce tangible effects—Indian refineries have started scrutinizing their Russian oil suppliers, while some Chinese companies have suspended purchases temporarily, attempting to circumvent the sanctions.
However, there are no official statements from Trump regarding new sanctions initiatives, leaving uncertainty whether these measures are part of his overall strategy to push Russia toward negotiations or are a temporary measure.