US State Department ‘presumes’ White House ready for Russia sanctions blowback

President Donald Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on buyers of Russian products over the Ukraine conflict

The US State Department said on Tuesday it ‘presumes’ that the White House is factoring in the potential economic fallout as it considers imposing secondary sanctions on countries purchasing Russian energy.

President Donald Trump recently set out a 10-day ultimatum demanding a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, warning that failure to meet the deadline could result in penalties against nations doing business with Moscow.

At a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked whether these measures are “too blunt an instrument,” potentially harming US allies.

”I would presume, as we should, that all of the impact would be considered,” Bruce said. “The president is not someone who is making a decision on the fly... This has clearly been a consideration from the beginning. And we’re prepared to do what’s necessary.”

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Russian officials have dismissed Trump’s threat, calling it harmful to peace efforts in Ukraine. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said earlier this month that no additional pressure will derail Russia’s pursuit of its national interests.

Trump has acknowledged there is no certainty that his latest pressure campaign will alter Moscow’s approach to the Ukraine conflict.

Meanwhile, foreign policy hawks in Congress are pushing for legislation that would authorize tariffs of up to 500% on nations that continue to import Russian oil and gas. Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the bill’s sponsors, described it as a “sledgehammer” he intends to place in the president’s hands.

Analysts have warned that these measures could backfire. China, India, and Türkiye – all major buyers of Russian energy – could face sanctions under the proposed policy.

”Such a move could cause global oil prices to skyrocket,” the New York Times warned on Tuesday, adding that secondary sanctions would likely escalate what it described as Trump’s “global trade war.”

The newspaper added that earlier efforts by Western nations to limit Russian revenue through an oil price cap “largely faltered.”