Trump Reportedly Backs Tougher Russia Energy Sanctions After Ukraine’s Deep Strikes

At the G7 summit last week, US President Donald Trump was reportedly highly impressed by Ukraine’s long-range strikes against targets inside Russia and agreed to intensify sanctions against the Russian energy sector.

Washington's perspective on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is shifting, particularly after recent military operations, according to the Financial Times on June 23.

The specific operations, which took place on June 16 and June 18, targeted the Moscow Oil Refinery and were supported by American intelligence data. These actions come amid active calls from Western allies for Washington to maintain and extend its critical military and strategic assistance.

This stance marks a visible departure from earlier assessments. As recently as March, American intelligence agencies believed that Russia held the upper hand. However, European diplomats have recently observed a distinct change in the attitude of US officials, who no longer view Moscow as winning.

High-ranking Ukrainian officials told Financial Times that they see indications of Trump leaning toward stronger backing for Kyiv, potentially showing more willingness to pressure Russia into stopping its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Nevertheless, they maintain a degree of skepticism regarding the US President’s consistency, noting past unfulfilled commitments.

An attitude of cautious optimism has emerged among Ukrainian representatives following direct discussions between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump, and other world leaders. Progress was reportedly achieved regarding the supply of Patriot interceptor missiles and licensing agreements for manufacturing Western weaponry.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Putin Says NATO Is Preparing for War—and Compares Western Countries to Nazi Germany in 1941

Jun 23, 2026 16:24

The ultimate outcome will rely on upcoming negotiations between the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, and American representatives to finalize the specific arrangements.

During the G7 summit in Évian, France, Donald Trump planned to ask American defense companies to produce weapons under license in Europe and Ukraine.

While the proposal remained under discussion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Trump, which resulted in a joint statement signed by all participating allies, including the United States. Additionally, Trump indicated a readiness to expand economic sanctions against Moscow to help address the shortage of air defense capabilities.

Help Ukrainian Units Hold the Drone Line

Download APP