L. Trump says “it was time” to impose further sanctions on Russia

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Wednesday.

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

President Donald Trump said he “felt it was time” to impose further sanctions on Russia, as his frustration over ending Russia’s war on Ukraine continues.

“I just felt it was time, waited a long time. I thought that we’d go long before the Middle East,” Trump said in the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, referring to his efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

Trump has previously wavered against imposing further sanctions on Russia.

When asked at the G7 in June why not impose sanctions, Trump said, “When I sanction a country, it costs the US a tremendous amount of money,” adding, “sanctions are not easy. It is not just a one-way street.”

Just earlier Wednesday, Russia launched a large-scale air attack on Ukraine, including Kyiv.