Softening his stance on Russia after talks with President Vladimir Putin in Alaska over the Ukraine war, US president Donald Trump said he was not immediately considering levying new sanctions and tariffs on Moscow for its war against Ukraine.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News after the high-stakes summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska, Trump said the meeting with Putin “went well,” taking a cautious stance on imposing new sanctions against Russia.
The US president on Friday (August 15) said that he may have to think about tariffs and sanctions “in two or three weeks.” This decision is expected to be revisited in the next few weeks.
“Because of what happened today I may have to think about it in two or three weeks or something, but we don’t have to think about that right now as the meeting went very well,” the US president said, who had just days ago adopted an aggressive tone against Russia.
However, Trump did not rule out the possibility of sanctions being reconsidered in the future. “Maybe in two or three weeks, or sometime around then, I might have to think about it. But right now, I don’t see the need,” he stated.
This comes after Trump threatened to impose stiffer economic sanctions on Moscow and on nations that buy its oil if no progress is made in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The US recently imposed an extra 25% tariff on India’s imports to the US, bringing the total rate to 50%. The president initially imposed a 25% tariff, but announced an additional 25% – effective on August 27 – as a penalty for New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
In comments after the summit, European leaders pledged to keep pressure on Moscow and made it clear that they “will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy until there is a just and lasting peace.”
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X following his call with Trump and then with European leaders, that “sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.” “Sanctions are an effective tool,” he said.
Zelenskyy wrote that all issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine’s participation, and no issue, particularly territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine.
“The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions,” Zelenskyy highlighted, adding that “security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the U.S.”
As envisioned by president Trump, the next step must now be further talks including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he will meet soon.
After talks with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and follow-up discussions with Ukrainian and European leaders, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday: “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
President Donald Trump also confirmed he will meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon, even teasing a potential follow-up meeting with President Putin.
“President Zelenskyy will be coming to D.C., the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon.
If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin,” Trump wrote.
After speaking behind closed doors on Friday in Alaska, Trump and Putin gave a joint press conference following their talks, but little was revealed of the finer details of their discussions.
Afterwards, Trump posted on social media that the meeting with Putin “went very well.”
Trump during the Fox News interview declined to detail the final issues that are holding up a deal, saying only that he wants “to see what we can get done.”
Several European leaders on Saturday jointly pledged to continue support for Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia until the war in Ukraine ends.
The joint statement by European leaders was issued after Trump briefed them on his talks with Putin.
“Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace,” the European statement read.
The European officials added that they are ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support.
They reiterated the need for Ukraine to have “security guarantees,” adding that, “No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and NATO.”
My statement on Ukraine. /x9CJrrLPJJ
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 16, 2025
