WASHINGTON — US sanctions targeting nations that buy Russian oil will kick in on Friday after Vladimir Putin refused to end his invasion of Ukraine by President Trump’s deadline, a senior White House official said following direct talks between Washington and Moscow on Wednesday.
Following a three-hour meeting between Putin and Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, the Kremlin said it wanted to continue talking — which Trump has publicly suspected of being a strategy to “tap along” his administration.
“The Russians are eager to continue engaging with the United States,” the US official said in a statement, adding: “The secondary sanctions are still expected to be implemented on Friday.”
The official also said Witkoff’s discussion with Putin “went well.”
Wednesday marked the first time the parties had met for such talks since April, when it became evident little progress was being made toward an end to Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
Later Wednesday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the sanctions are still on track to take effect Friday — but that he’s having discussions with Russia before then in hopes of ending the war.
“Yeah, we’re pretty much getting close to it right now, but we’re having very serious talks right now about getting out of Ukraine, getting it settled, getting it ended,” the president said.
Trump also pointed out he’s already sanctioned India with an extra 25% duty for buying Russian oil, and that more secondary sanctions could be hitting other countries soon.
“We’re doing it probably with a couple of others,” Trump said. “One of them could be China.”
China currently ranks as Russia’s top buyer of oil, and the White House is engaged in a tariff negotiation with Beijing that has a deadline of Aug. 12.
“It’s only been eight hours, so let’s see what happens,” he said of future punishments that he may impose.
“You’re going to see so much secondary sanctions.”
