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Despite Putin Stalling Ukraine Peace Talks, Trump’s Sanctions Threat Forces a Shift: State Department Says
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is trying to drag out peace negotiations over the war in Ukraine, but the threat of fresh US sanctions may be forcing him to reconsider, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on NewsNation on August 7.
Asked how President Donald Trump could be sure that Putin isn’t simply trying to deceive him, Bruce said the Russian leader has a track record of stalling negotiations to buy time.
“There are certainly times when efforts are made to stall the process, to draw other players into the game,” Bruce said.
“We see this as potentially a way for Putin to buy time and shift the situation in his favor. This isn’t just about the war—it’s about the economy, too.”
Bruce added that Trump’s explicit readiness to impose new economic measures—including secondary or even direct sanctions—could have changed Putin’s calculus.
On July 29, President Trump gave Putin a 10-day deadline—until August 8—to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. If Putin fails to agree, the US could introduce secondary sanctions targeting Russia’s remaining economic lifelines.
At the same time, Washington has stepped up diplomatic pressure. On Wednesday, August 6, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow for direct talks with the Kremlin. Following the meeting with Putin, Trump declared that “significant progress” had been made in talks aimed at ending the war.
Earlier, reports emerged that Trump intends to meet Putin as soon as next week to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
