Trump talks down prospect of US sanctions on Russia despite G7 push
Splits have opened up in the G7 approach to Russia after Donald Trump signalled his reluctance to impose more US sanctions on Moscow despite a European push to heap further pressure on Vladimir Putin.
The US president said he wanted to 'see whether or not a deal is done' over the Ukraine war before targeting the Kremlin with further measures, insisting they would cost Washington 'a tremendous amount of money'.
During an appearance next to Sir Keir Starmer, who earlier on Monday announced allies at the leaders' summit would 'squeeze' Russia with more sanctions, Mr Trump said the prospect of fresh action was 'not easy'.
Asked whether Washington supported European efforts to impose further measures, he told reporters ahead of a bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister, he said: 'Well Europe is saying that, but they haven't done it yet.
'Let's see them do it first.'
Asked why he wanted to wait to impose sanctions, Mr Trump said: 'Because I'm waiting to see whether or not a deal is done… and don't forget, you know, sanctions cost us a lot of money.
'When I sanction a country that costs the US a lot of money, a tremendous amount of money.
'It's not just, let's sign a document. You're talking about billions and billions of dollars. Sanctions are not that easy. It's not just a one-way street.'
His remarks will prove awkward for Sir Keir, with whom he appeared to announce the completion of the US-UK deal, after the Prime Minister said G7 allies would seek to target Russian energy revenues used to fund its war machine.
Downing Street would not expand on what the sanctions package was likely to include but said it would aim to keep 'up the pressure on Russian military industrial complex'.
A Number 10 spokesman earlier dismissed suggestions that the limited detail about the announcement reflected divisions within the G7 on the issue of Moscow, which Donald Trump on Monday said should not have been kicked out of the former G8.
'I don't agree with that characterisation at all,' the official said.
'It's just a point of fact that the G7 has only just begun.
'The sessions are just beginning now, and it would be premature to get ahead of what those sessions will yield.'
In a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday, Mr Trump said the decision to oust Russia from the former G8 had been a 'mistake'.
Moscow was expelled from the group following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Sir Keir said: 'The fact is, Russia doesn't hold all the cards.
'So, we should take this moment to increase economic pressure and show President Putin it is in his, and Russia's interests, to demonstrate he is serious about peace.
'We are finalising a further sanctions package and I want to work with all of our G7 partners to squeeze Russia's energy revenues and reduce the funds they are able to pour into their illegal war.'
UK intelligence has assessed Russia's forces as likely having sustained approximately 1,000,000 casualties since it launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, but it continues pounding Ukraine with drone and missile attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the conference in Kananaskis, along with leaders from Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain.
Mr Zelensky has accepted a US-backed ceasefire proposal and offered to talk directly with Mr Putin, but the Russian leader has so far shown no willingness to meet him and resisted calls for an unconditional truce.
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