MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Donald Trump is ready to put pressure on Moscow; the EU is desperate to find money for Ukraine; and the US blockade is likely to affect Venezuelan oil exports. These stories topped Thursday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
The US authorities are developing new sanctions against Russia’s energy sector in order to increase pressure if Moscow rejects a peace agreement with Ukraine, Vedomosti reports, citing Western news outlets. Amid reports of possible new sanctions, the media are also speculating about options for Ukraine security guarantees.
For now, US President Donald Trump intends to follow the logic he adopted at the start of talks, using a carrot-and-stick approach towards both parties to the conflict, so new restrictions remain likely, Valdai International Discussion Club expert Andrey Kortunov said. According to the expert, this is exactly why Trump chooses sanctions on the energy sector, expecting them to have the greatest impact on Russia.
As for security guarantees, the issue remains difficult for Trump because he seeks to achieve two goals simultaneously, settling the conflict and making it look like his personal victory. While doing so, he is not only trying his best to avoid sending US troops to Ukraine but is also avoiding accepting the Europeans’ attempt to persuade the United States to back any actions by their armed forces. "However, it’s too early to talk about fundamental changes in the diplomatic process," the analyst noted.
