**US President Trump Holds Off on Sanctions to Pursue Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal**
In a surprise move, US President Donald Trump has decided not to impose new sanctions on Russia just yet. He believes that a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine may be within reach and doesn’t want to jeopardize it with additional penalties.
Speaking to reporters on May 28, Trump said he is “much tougher” than those he’s negotiating with, but wants to give talks a chance to succeed. He warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling, the US will respond differently, but for now, he’s willing to wait and see.
**Missile Strikes and Peace Talks**
The decision comes after a weekend of deadly missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, which saw Russian forces launch what Ukrainian authorities described as the largest drone attack of the full-scale war. The attacks sparked concerns about Moscow’s intentions and raised questions about Trump’s strategy.
Just last week, on May 19, Trump had spoken with Putin via phone call, where he was told that a “memorandum of peace” outlining conditions for a ceasefire would be delivered shortly. However, as of now, no such document has been received by the US or Ukraine.
**Waiting for a Signal**
Trump said that the US will soon find out whether Putin is genuinely interested in ending the war. He predicted that within two weeks or less, it’ll become clear if Moscow is willing to negotiate seriously. Until then, he’s holding off on imposing new sanctions and wants to see concrete action from Russia.
This approach has been met with skepticism by some, who argue that Trump should be more cautious given the ongoing violence in Ukraine. Others have praised his willingness to engage with Putin and explore a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
**Next Steps**
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced earlier on May 28 that Moscow had proposed a new round of peace talks with Ukraine to take place in Istanbul on June 2. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov responded by saying that Kyiv is still awaiting the Russian side’s proposed ceasefire memorandum, which was expected following peace talks in Turkey last month.
**What’s Next?**
As tensions remain high and fighting continues, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s strategy will pay off or if Russia will ultimately stall on negotiations. One thing is certain: the international community is watching closely as these developments unfold.
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