Trump is looking for new ways to put pressure on Putin and Zelensky – US Ambassador to NATO

President of the United States Donald Trump is trying to explore ways to continue to put pressure on the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyyto force both sides to the negotiating table and agree to end the war. About this in an interview with Newsmax said U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker.

According to him, the most important result of Trump's meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, the United States announced new sanctions against two Russian oil companies and their subsidiaries.

Whitaker added that the move underscores Trump's determination to end what he called a "senseless" and "brutal" conflict.

"I was at the White House for this meeting. There were very important topics discussed, but most of them centered around President Trump's constant desire to end this senseless war. He talked about how thousands of people, especially soldiers on the front line, are dying every week," the official said.

Whitaker emphasized that while the administration remains committed to helping Ukraine defend its sovereignty, Trump's focus has shifted to pressuring both Moscow and Kyiv to come to the table.

"This is just a brutal trench warfare that no one is winning. President Trump is trying to find ways to continue to put pressure on Vladimir Putin, continue to put pressure, frankly, on Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and find new ways to continue to put pressure to get both sides to the table to agree to a ceasefire, to end the war, and just to stop the killing," the U.S. ambassador to NATO continued.

In his opinion, Trump is becoming increasingly impatient with Putin's unwillingness to de-escalate. He emphasized that the US president "holds all the cards in his hands, which he will play."

Whitaker noted that Russia's progress on the battlefield over the past 10 months has been minimal, despite its losses.

"He [Putin] is not getting any strategic gains. He continues to simply contribute to the carnage that is taking place on the front lines, and there is really nothing to show for it," he summarized.

• On October 22, Bessent announced a "significant strengthening" of the sanctions against Russia. The White House said they would not be directed against China.
• On the same day, the US Treasury Department imposed restrictions against Russia's Lukoil, Rosneft and dozens of subsidiaries.