Secretary of State Marco Rubio took aim at Russia’s lack of progress in Ukraine peace talks this Thursday, signaling that the Trump administration may tighten sanctions amid escalating Kremlin aggression.
At a Malaysian press briefing with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Rubio declared, “We will engage any time that we have an opportunity to do so, like we did today. I echoed what the president said—both disappointment and frustration at the lack of progress.” His words followed President Trump’s recent rebuke of Vladimir Putin, after Trump said Putin spewed “[expletive]” and described their latest call as making “didn’t make any progress.” Trump also confirmed he was “very strongly” considering backing a sanctions bill targeting countries importing Russian energy.
Rubio emphasized a bipartisan approach, stating the administration is “working with Congress to draft legislation that could impose more sanctions on Russia,” according to the New York Times. This comes on the heels of President Trump extending previous sanctions in February—measures imposing restrictions on Russian banks, defense firms, and tech exports.
These escalations coincide with a recent surge in Russian attacks: Moscow launched a nearly ten-hour bombardment across Ukraine, which Ukrainian President Zelensky labeled a “clear escalation of terror by Russia.” In response, the Trump administration resumed U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine this Tuesday after a brief pause due to stockpile concerns.
