US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that there will be «severe sanctions» for «any country» that does business with Russia, and possibly with Iran, by backing an initiative in the US Congress to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin.
«Any country that does business with Russia will be very severely sanctioned. We could add Iran to the formula,» the head of state told the media from Palm Beach International Airport in Florida.
Questioned by the press, Trump asserted that he «agrees» with legislation that the Congress will discuss to pressure Russia and Putin.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut are pushing an initiative to impose tariffs on countries that import Russian energy products and secondary sanctions on foreign companies that assist in energy production in Russia.
«You are passing legislation, or the Republicans are proposing legislation that is very tough, sanctioning, etc., etc., etc., any country that is doing business with Russia, they could add Iran to that. As you know, I suggested it,» Trump said now.
The new sanctions would come after those announced by the US Department of the Treasury in August against Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in response to «Russia's lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine».
The Treasury then stated that the sanctions were imposed to «cripple the Kremlin's ability» and defended Washington's willingness to find «a peaceful resolution to the war».
Trump, who aspires to a Nobel Peace Prize, has expressed his frustration with Putin, whom he met with on August 15 to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Washington has sanctioned over 6,000 individuals and entities linked to the Russian military machine, actions that it has been expanding and toughening in response to new attacks and escalations in the conflict.
