The administration of President Donald Trump presented him with three options for sanctions against Russia when he made the decision to impose restrictions. These options varied in severity, and Trump chose the medium one, reports The Wall Street Journal citing its sources.
According to information provided by WSJ, the most severe package of sanctions targeted the Russian industry and the country's top leadership. The medium option included measures against the energy sector, while the mildest one involved limited sanctions, the details of which are not disclosed.
Trump, as noted by WSJ, concluded that Putin was "simply misleading him," especially after watching footage of Russian attacks on Ukraine. Just a few hours after Trump canceled a meeting with Putin in Budapest, Russia struck Ukrainian territory again. Administration officials noted that although Trump did not make direct comments regarding these attacks, they angered him, despite his temporary hopes for improved relations with Putin.
On October 22, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions against Russia, which included the largest oil companies "Rosneft" and "Lukoil," as well as their subsidiaries, which are now at risk of secondary sanctions. These sanctions became the 19th package of restrictions that were also adopted by the European Union. In response, Vladimir Putin stated that these measures "will not significantly affect the economic stability of the country." Trump, for his part, responded: "I'm glad he thinks so. We'll see how things stand in six months."
