Treasury Secretary Bessent: U.S. May Strengthen Russian Energy Sanctions for Ceasefire Deal

The United States is prepared to intensify sanctions on Russian energy if it helps lead to a ceasefire in Ukraine, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, according to Bloomberg on March 6.

Speaking at the Economic Club of New York, Bessent emphasized that sanctions would be used decisively under President Donald Trump’s direction.

“Sanctions on Russia will be applied explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact,” Bessent stated.

Bessent aslo criticized the Biden administration for holding back on tougher Russian energy sanctions due to concerns over rising gas prices. He questioned the purpose of three years of significant U.S. military and financial support for Ukraine if it wasn’t accompanied by equally strong sanctions.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his address to the European Council, announced that Ukraine and the United States put discussions back on track and expressed hope for a “productive meeting” in the coming week.