© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times
© Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times
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Thousands of lives at stake. In a column for The Washington Post, Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Andrii Yermak asserted that this week, US political will could bring end to Russia’s war — by targeting its energy and financial lifelines.
Yermak called for immediate and forceful sanctions against Russia, stressing that US President Donald Trump’s recent ultimatum, reducing the window for a peace deal from 50 to 10 days, was a clear and powerful message to the Kremlin.
“These signals need to be followed up with decisive action for the war to end,” Yermak said, emphasizing Ukraine’s support for Trump’s firm stance on peace through strength — “the only language Putin understands.”
Yermak detailed a series of urgent sanctions Ukraine is calling for:
“The tools to stop Russia exist. What is needed is the political will to use them with precision and force,” Yermak stated.
He highlighted the urgent need for targeted pressure, noting that the global community has the levers to stop the Kremlin’s military machine but only if wielded with precision and bold leadership.
Yermak praised Trump’s move to raise tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, calling it “a great first step” that caused panic in Moscow, and stressed that more must follow.
He also voiced support for the bipartisan bill by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, which would impose secondary sanctions on third-country firms aiding Russia’s war economy.
“Thousands of lives depend on the success of what follows,” Yermak concluded.
US lawmakers skipped a Russia sanctions vote and left the sanctions in Trump’s hands as his 8 August deadline approaches. The Hill says the Senate left Washington for its August break without advancing a sweeping sanctions bill aimed at Moscow, leaving the president to decide how to confront Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.
The Hill reports that Trump warned that Putin has until 8 August to stop the war in Ukraine or face tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian oil. As a preview of this pressure, he imposed a 25% tariff on India, a major buyer of Russian energy. That is far below the 500% tariffs proposed in the stalled bill. Some senators admit that leaving the bill untouched puts the responsibility entirely on the president for now.
Republican senators say they expect Trump to act decisively. Republican Senator Mike Rounds said to The Hill that Trump is now disappointed in Putin. Democrats doubt that Trump will go as far as needed, though they acknowledge that his tone has grown tougher. Trump earlier described Russia’s air attacks on Ukraine as disgusting and said his team is ready to impose sanctions.
In response to threats of nuclear weapons from Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev, Trump ordered nuclear submarines to the region. Trump told reporters that his envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia after a trip to Israel. He stressed that he will impose sanctions but admitted he is unsure if they will change Moscow’s behavior.
The blocked bill was designed to hit Russia’s oil revenues hard by imposing tariffs on countries that keep buying Russian crude. Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies argue that oil revenue is key to funding Moscow’s war. Supporters of the bill say a missed opportunity weakens the message.
Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal, coauthor of the bill with Republican Lindsey Graham, said he would see it as a success if Trump imposed even a part of the planned tariffs.
Indian oil refiners have already paused imports of Russian oil after Trump’s 25% tariff announcement.
Graham said Trump has now adopted the idea of targeting countries that buy Russian oil. He added that Trump can act either through executive action or with the help of the bill if it passes later.
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