US President Donald Trump believes Moscow is deliberately “slow-rolling comprehensive ceasefire talks,” according to Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, who cited a source familiar with the discussions.
The source said Trump is “frustrated” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Heinrich reported that the White House is considering “aggressive sanctions enforcement” against Russia’s “shadow fleet” – oil tankers that export crude as they evade Western restrictions.
“I’m told sanctions enforcement is currently low – informally measured at about a ‘level 3 out of 10,’” Heinrich wrote. “Interdictions of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ carrying illicit oil through the Baltic Sea would be an easy target for pressure.”
At a briefing on April 1, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is frustrated with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“He wants this war to end. There are men that are dying on both sides, and it’s been going on for far too long. Our team continues to be engaged with the Russians, as we are with the Ukrainians,” she said.
Reuters reported that the Trump administration does not expect a peace deal on Ukraine in the near future. As a result, the White House is working on new pressure tactics against both Moscow and Kyiv.
On March 30, Trump told NBC News that he was “very angry, pissed off” after Putin questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
It was a surprising tone as Trump himself has called Zelensky a “dictator” because of the country’s postponed elections, and his administration has often called into question the Ukrainian leader’s mandate.
Trump warned Moscow that he could impose a 25% tariff on Russian oil exports if a ceasefire is not reached within a month due to Kremlin actions. However, since the US does not depend on Russia for oil or gas, the tariffs would need to be secondary tariffs, targeting countries that import Russian hydrocarbons, such as India and China.