With less than 24 hours remaining before the expiration of his self-imposed ultimatum for a Ukraine peace deal, US President Donald Trump has yet to determine whether he will enact secondary sanctions against Russia, The Atlantic reported Thursday, citing White House sources.

Initially granting a 50-day window for a ceasefire agreement, Trump shortened the timeline to just 10 days, ending on August 8, and warned of immediate penalties should Moscow fail to deliver. But as the deadline looms, internal divisions in the West Wing have complicated the decision-making process.

Administration officials reportedly acknowledge that direct sanctions would have limited impact due to the minimal trade between the US and Russia, prompting consideration of secondary sanctions. These would target third-party nations, such as China, India, and Turkey, that continue to engage economically with Moscow. However, this approach has sparked debate within the administration, with concerns over potential blowback on US trade relationships and global supply chains.

Tariffs, tensions, uncertainty

Trump has shown particular hesitance when it comes to China. While he recently imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports as a warning shot for continued Russian trade, he has stopped short of issuing similar penalties against Beijing.

The reason: fears that such a move could derail ongoing US-China trade talks. Still, Trump said Wednesday he "does not rule out the possibility of imposing secondary sanctions on China for its trade with Russia," adding that "more secondary sanctions are on the horizon."

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Behind the scenes, frustration is reportedly growing. Trump had anticipated that his personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin would facilitate a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine. Instead, one official revealed, Trump has felt "embarrassed" by Putin's disregard for repeated US ceasefire requests.

According to Politico, this frustration has led to escalating rhetoric within the administration, including consideration of up to 100% tariffs on Russian-linked trade and the possible enforcement of the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, which proposes even harsher economic penalties on countries importing Russian energy.

Diplomatic gamble

Efforts to de-escalate continue. US special envoy Steven Witkoff remains in dialogue with Russian officials, and a trilateral summit involving Trump, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly under consideration, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Russia maintains a defiant posture. The Kremlin has repeatedly claimed that it can withstand additional Western sanctions, dismissing them as a failed strategy and accusing the US and its allies of lacking the political courage to admit that coercive pressure has failed to change Moscow's calculus.

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