NEW YORK, May 27. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump is mulling new sanctions against Russia this week and even considering exiting from the negotiation process if a final push for peace doesn’t work, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
"President Trump has been clear he wants to see a negotiated peace deal," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the newspaper.
Potential sanctions likely wouldn’t include new banking sanctions, but other options to pressure the Russian leader into concessions at the negotiating table are being discussed, one of the sources said.
"It appears from these comments that President Trump is figuring out President Putin. The question is — is it serious? Will this be enough to take some steps, to put some sanctions on," former US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor asked rhetorically.
Earlier, Trump said he was considering tightening anti-Russian sanctions in the wake massive Russian attacks on facilities in Ukraine.