No Signs Of Peace, Trump Again Threatens Russian Sanctions

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump again threatened to impose sanctions on Russia as there was no progress towards a peaceful settlement in Ukraine in two weeks. Trump was created a "frustration" against Moscow a week after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

"I'm going to make a decision on what we're going to do and that's going to be, it's going to be a very important decision, and it's whether it's a big sanction or a big tariff or both, or we're not doing anything and saying it's your fight," Trump said. reported by Reuters, Saturday, August 23.

Trump tidak senang dengan serangan Rusia terhadap sebuah pabrik Amerika di Ukraina pekan ini, yang menyebabkan kebakaran dan melukai beberapa karyawan fasilitas tersebut.

"I'm not happy with that, and I'm not happy with anything related to the war," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday Russia was doing everything it could to prevent a meeting between himself and Putin.

Meanwhile, Russia's foreign minister said the agenda for such a meeting was not ready.

Zelenskyy repeatedly asked Putin to meet him, saying that was the only way to negotiate the end of the war.

Trump previously said he had started setting up a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting after making phone calls with the Russian leader on Monday, following their meeting in Alaska on August 15.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of buying time.

"The meeting was a component of how to end the war," Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

"And because they don't want to end it, they will look for a gap to (avoid it)," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told NBC there was no agenda for a summit between Putin-Zelenskyy.

"Putin is ready to meet Zelenskyy when the agenda for the summit is ready. And this agenda is not ready at all," he said.

The statement repeated Moscow's long-standing rhetoric that gatherings of leaders are unlikely unless certain conditions are met.

When asked for his response to Lavrov's comments and the next step, Trump said he would see developments.

"Okay, we'll see. We'll see if Putin and Zelenskyy will work together. It's like oil and vinegar," Trump said.