President Donald Trump has said he is considering new sanctions on Russia following a wave of attacks on Ukraine.
The president said in a Friday post on Truth Social: “Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!”
Trump’s statement came hours after Russia launched a massive overnight missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko described the attack as a “massive missile and drone” barrage in a statement on Facebook. Authorities reported that at least 10 people, including a child, were wounded in the strikes.
“Russia is deliberately targeting energy and gas production facilities, aiming to plunge us into darkness and cold,” Halushchenko wrote. “Its goal is to inflict the greatest suffering on ordinary Ukrainians.”
The Kremlin has repeatedly battered Ukraine’s power grid since the start of the war, crippling electricity generation and disrupting essential heating and water supplies. Ukrainian officials have long accused Moscow of “weaponizing winter” to break civilian morale, a strategy that has intensified as the conflict drags on.
Trump’s statement follows last week’s remarkable Oval Office spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which he and Vice President JD Vance chastised Zelensky for allegedly not thanking the United States for aid.
The U.S. then suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine, temporarily cutting off a critical flow of battlefield data that has helped Kyiv target Russian forces.
A senior administration official described the pause as part of a broader review of U.S.-Ukraine relations, with national security adviser Mike Waltz stating that the White House is reassessing “all aspects of this relationship.”
However, officials suggested that the suspension could be lifted soon, depending on ongoing negotiations between Trump and Zelensky over a potential peace deal with Russia. Talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to take place in Saudi Arabia next week.
The halt in intelligence sharing follows Trump’s decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, which has sparked concerns among Kyiv’s Western allies. Intelligence from the U.S. and NATO has been instrumental in Ukraine’s defense efforts, providing real-time information on Russian troop movements, missile launches, and battlefield tactics.
