Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that “all options are on the table” as the Trump administration weighs further sanctions on Russia over its intensifying war in Ukraine, even as President
Donald Trump continues to pursue a negotiated peace.
In an interview with Fox News, Bessent accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ramping up airstrikes despite signals in recent meetings that he was open to talks. “Since the historic meeting in Anchorage… Putin has done the opposite of following through on what he indicated he wanted to do. As a matter of fact, he has in a despicable manner increased the bombing campaign,” Bessent said. “With President Trump, all options are on the table, and I think we’ll be examining those very closely this week.”
The Trump administration has so far been reluctant to escalate with fresh penalties, fearing that new measures could derail fragile efforts at peace. But according to CNN, Trump previously told aides he would know within “two weeks” of his summit with Putin whether Moscow was serious about negotiations — a deadline that has repeatedly slipped without consequence. Trump has nonetheless warned that Russia could face sweeping economic punishment if it refuses to compromise, saying, “It will not be a world war but it will be an economic war.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on CBS’ Face the Nation on August 17, cautioned that immediate sanctions would effectively end peace talks. “At the end of the day, if peace is not going to be possible here, and this is just going to continue on as a war, people will continue to die by the thousands. The President has that option… but if he did this now, the moment the President puts those additional sanctions, that’s the end of the talks,” Rubio said.
For now, the White House insists diplomacy remains the priority, even as pressure grows from both Congress and allies to take tougher action against Moscow’s aggression.
