Trump threatens a new round of sanctions on Russia amid escalating Ukrainian tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed his readiness to proceed with a second round of sanctions against Russia, in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to a statement from the White House press office.

During a press conference in Washington, Trump was asked if he was ready to take additional steps against Moscow, to which he clearly replied: "Yes, I am ready," without going into further details.

Earlier today, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Pruitt stated that the United States is considering tightening sanctions on Russia in coordination with European partners, as part of the ongoing Western pressure on Moscow.

In contrast, CNN reported that Trump is cautious that economic escalation could hinder ongoing negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, reflecting the divergence between the option of pressure and sanctions on one hand, and the pursuit of a diplomatic solution on the other.