WASHINGTON — The United States is moving forward with secondary sanctions targeting countries that continue purchasing Russian oil, set to take effect this Friday. This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to meet President Trump’s deadline to end the war in Ukraine, according to a senior White House official.
The announcement followed a three-hour meeting in Moscow on Wednesday between Putin and Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy. While the Kremlin expressed interest in ongoing dialogue with Washington, Trump has previously warned that Russia may be stalling to avoid real concessions.
“The Russians are eager to continue engaging with the United States,” the U.S. official said. However, they confirmed that the sanctions would still be implemented as scheduled. The official added that the conversation between Putin and Witkoff “went well,” but offered no indication of a breakthrough.
