President Trump Doesn't Hesitate If He Has To Impose Sanctions On Russia, But Doesn't Want An Economic War

JAKARTA - United States President Donald Trump said he was ready to impose sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin failed to agree to a ceasefire, but did not want an economic war.

"What I think is very, very serious, if I have to do it, but I want to see it end," President Trump said answering a question as to whether President Putin would face the consequences.

"We have economic sanctions. I am talking about the economy because we will not be involved in world war," he said.

President Trump has withheld sanctions that President Putin has long threatened in his latest efforts to end the war that has lasted more than three years, which has so far opposed his mediation efforts.

President Trump is seeking one-on-one negotiations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Putin. Although President Zelensky has in principle approved the negotiations, President Putin has not. The Kremlin has hinted that such a meeting is currently unplanned.

"This is not a world war, but an economic war," President Trump said in a White House Cabinet meeting.

"The economic war will have a bad impact, and will have a bad impact on Russia, and I don't want that."

He added: "Zelensky is also not completely innocent."

Despite the slow diplomatic progress, US and European officials have discussed potential security guarantees Washington may provide to Kyiv once a hypothetical agreement is reached, potentially covering support by air or intelligence sharing.

President Trump has long suggested using economic instruments as leverage against warring countries.

He is preparing to impose an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian exports heading to the US on Wednesday on the purchase of Russian oil by New Delhi.

Yesterday, he stated it was open to "using a very powerful tariff system that is very detrimental to Russia or Ukraine" to achieve peace.