US President Donald Trump has vowed to escalate sanctions on Russia following Moscow’s largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began. The strikes killed at least four people, injured dozens, and severely damaged Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers building in central Kyiv.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko condemned the assault as a “deliberate crime,” while President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for a stronger US response. European leaders also denounced the strikes, with French President Emmanuel Macron pledging additional defense support.
Speaking at the White House, Trump outlined what he called a “second phase” of sanctions, which could include new tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil. He said coordinated US-EU measures would drive Russia’s economy into “full collapse” and force President Vladimir Putin into negotiations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed discussions with European officials about implementing harsher penalties.
Despite diplomatic efforts, Russia continues its offensives across Ukraine, controlling around 20 percent of the country. The war has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, while Kyiv insists that only intensified Western action can shift the battlefield balance.
