Trump Opens Door to Sweeping Russia Sanctions After Deadly Attacks on Ukraine

President Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and is weighing new punitive measures after Russian forces intensified missile-and-drone attacks on Ukraine. Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting on 8 July, Trump accused Moscow of “killing a lot of people” and lamented the lack of progress toward a cease-fire following a 3 July call with Putin. The White House is now considering backing a Senate sanctions package drafted by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. The bill, described by supporters as the toughest to date, would slap a 500 % tariff on countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other commodities, with additional 500-percentage-point escalations every 90 days for non-compliance. Trump has signalled he wants authority to suspend or lift the penalties at his discretion. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after a separate meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur that Washington needs “a roadmap to end the war” and that the President’s frustration is growing. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated a floor vote could come within days if the White House and House leadership agree to proceed. Ukraine, meanwhile, reported that Russia launched 18 missiles and about 400 Shahed drones in a 10-hour overnight barrage on 10 July; officials said at least two civilians were killed and 16 wounded in the Kyiv area. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged faster Western action on air-defence systems and fresh sanctions, a message that aligns with the tougher stance emerging in Washington.