Lebanon today »This is what the sanctions did with Putin

The American newspaper “The Hill” reported that “US President Donald Trump issued a strict warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatening to impose taxes, customs fees and major sanctions if a peace agreement is not reached in Ukraine immediately. Trump stressed that Russia’s economy suffers from pressure and urged Putin to negotiate, noting that the failure to do so would force the United States to impose severe economic sanctions. Trump posted on Truth Social: “I will provide Russia, whose economy, and President Putin fail, is very large. Reserve it now, and stop this ridiculous war! Things will only get worse. If we do not conclude a “deal”, and soon, I will have no other option but to impose high levels of taxes, customs fees and sanctions on anything that Russia sells to the United States.

According to the newspaper, “The Kremlin rushed to reduce the importance of these threats as not new, as his spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Trump used similar tactics during his first term. Despite the confrontation of more striking sanctions since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia’s economy has shown amazing flexibility. It turned out that former President Joe Biden’s boasting that international sanctions led to the transformation of the ruble into “ruins” was just empty talk. Russia has simply fled to the arms of China and it seems completely able to support its war machine in the foreseeable future. ”
The newspaper said that “in this case, Trump is waving a big wrong stick. At least, more than customs duties and sanctions will be needed. Effective policy must include all elements related to national power. During his campaign, Trump boasted that he could end the war within 24 hours. Unfortunately, it will not be so simple. Ukrainian President Folodimir Zellinski is more willing than ever to accept a negotiating settlement, but although, along with his people, he is no longer the delusions of restoring every inch of the territories occupied by Russia, but the Ukrainian negotiators are still annoyed by Russian demands. .
According to the newspaper, “But Putin was not satisfied with that, but rather repeatedly affirmed that any peace agreement must give his country full control over the provinces of Donetsk, Logansk, Jeruson and Zaburigia, which is still large areas of Ukrainian control. Putin also insisted on Ukraine’s refusal to join NATO. From an American perspective, the best solution is to establish a ceasefire along the current fighting lines, and this would allow energy and food stability in European and global markets. But what happens if any of the parties objected to this solution? Russia, after all, was gradually gaining ground for months, which gave Putin all the incentives to obstruct negotiations. ”
The newspaper continued, “Forcing Ukraine to conclude a deal by threatening to cut all aid may be more difficult than it seems. Trump and his deputy, JD, Verse Zelinski, criticized during the election campaign to drain hundreds of billions of taxpayers, which can be better spent inside. The total currently authorized aid to Ukraine is about $ 175 billion. Many of these funds are spent on American factories that produce weapons that are shipped to Ukraine or use to fill US defense stocks. It is estimated that about 70 American cities benefit from these contracts, and this aid will require the cooperation of Republicans in Congress, and many of them are more supportive of Ukraine than Trump.
According to the newspaper, “What increases the complexity of the situation is the emergence of Elon Musk. When it comes to Ukraine, it is difficult to determine a mask position. Ukraine allowed the free use of the constellation of Starlink’s industrial moon in the early stages of the war, but he refused to allow it to launch a proposed attack against the Crimea. He was also in close contact with Putin, which raised the concern of Air Force Minister Frank Kendall. In light of all these challenges, America’s best weapon in the struggle for peace remains what it has always been: Ukraine’s support with money and equipment. Trump can use this support to pressure both sides to reach a compromise. If Ukraine objected to the proposed regional concessions, it can offer generous assistance to reconstruction and help rebuild the war in the country. Such help also help in preparing Ukraine to eventually join NATO and the European Union.
The newspaper continued, “If Russia becomes very greedy, Trump can mention it that he is fully prepared to continue support for the Ukrainian forces, leaving all options on the table. At this stage of the war, it will be unreasonable to support another large -scale anti -attack or allow more strikes on Russian soil. This reliable threat is the best way to persuade Putin that it is better. ” Victory and benefit from what is offered “instead of” continuing with hard work until the Russian flag flies above Kiev. “
The newspaper concluded, “The sanctions only strengthened Putin’s determination. The reality will only change if the force is used. ”