European Leaders Set to Visit U.S. Amid Intensifying Ukraine Conflict
In the face of escalating violence in Ukraine, European leaders plan a visit to the United States on Monday or Tuesday to discuss strategies for peace, according to former President Donald Trump.
During a statement, Trump mentioned his upcoming conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicating readiness to impose a second phase of sanctions against Moscow. These discussions come as Ukraine faces its largest aerial bombardment by Russia to date, which has resulted in civilian casualties, including four deaths, and damaged key government structures in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed support for the sanctions proposed by Trump, asserting that European nations must cut ties by ceasing to purchase Russian energy. He emphasized the injustice of continuing energy deals with Russia amidst the conflict.
The Russian military's recent aerial offensive involved firing over 800 drones and missiles. Following this assault, Trump expressed discontent with the situation, alluding to the European officials' upcoming visits, details of which were not specified.
Since the last summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska, Russia has amplified its onslaught on Ukraine. Zelensky reiterated the call for European partners to withdraw from energy agreements with Russia, stating, We must stop buying any kind of energy from Russia, and by the way, anything, any deals with Russia.
He also welcomed the idea of imposing tariffs on nations continuing to engage in commerce with Russia, hinting this could hinder Moscow's capacity to fund its military endeavors.
Since the onset of the full-scale invasion in March 2022, Russia has reportedly earned approximately $985 billion from oil and gas sales worldwide, with major buyers including China and India. Although Europe has made significant reductions in purchases, complete cessation is targeted by 2027.
Recent actions by the U.S. include the implementation of a 50% tariff on goods from India linked to ongoing oil purchases from Russia, while India maintains its stance on securing advantageous oil deals for its economy.
In a meeting last week in Beijing, Russia announced plans to boost gas supplies to China. The dynamics of global energy markets continue to shift, with the OPEC+ group agreeing to increase production, potentially impacting oil prices going forward.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent conveyed the need for enhanced collaboration with the EU to enforce secondary tariffs on countries trading with Russia, predicting that stringent economic pressure could lead to the collapse of the Russian economy and prompt negotiations from Putin.
According to Bessent, We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up, versus how long can the Russian economy hold up, emphasizing the stakes in this ongoing conflict.