US State Department urges Russia to take Trump's sanctions threats seriously

The US Department of State believes that Moscow should take seriously the statements made by President Donald Trump, who has not ruled out strengthening sanctions against Russia.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce was responding to a question during a briefing about Trump's disappointment in Putin and a possible change in sanctions policy in this regard.

"I wouldn’t call it frustration. It is a statement of the man who has led the effort for peace in so many different regions, making it clear and being completely transparent about his opinion about what's transpired. And I think that is something Russia should take seriously," Bruce said.

According to Bruce, there are many things that Trump "has at his disposal to make sure that our position is felt and that that can be used to make an impact to stop this carnage".

"We are monitoring reports that this weekend's airstrikes by Russia constituted the largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the start of the [full-scale] war. Obviously, our thoughts, prayers, and awareness sits with the victims and their families. We are calling for restraint and urge all parties to avoid further escalation," she added.

"We continue to support direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. The President supports any mechanism that leads to a just, durable, and lasting peace – any mechanism. There is no military solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and a diplomatic solution is necessary," Bruce concluded.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering the possibility of imposing sanctions against Russia this week, though no final decision has been made.

Media reports have also suggested that Trump is "seriously considering" lifting all restrictions on Ukraine’s military actions that were introduced during Joe Biden’s presidency.