"The Russian economy will be in total collapse". Bessent says the US should put pressure together with the EU

The United States and the European Union are discussing what they can do together to put economic pressure on Moscow. If the United States and the EU intervene, the aggressor country's economy "will be in total collapse," and this will force the dictator Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table, said the US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent in an interview with the American TV channel NBC News.

The official spoke about the "very productive" conversation with the US leader Donald Trump and vice president J.D. Vance with the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen this Friday (in the EU reported that the conversation took place on Thursday, September 4 – Ed.), and also said that after that the official had a conversation with him.

"And we are talking about what the two, the EU and the US, can do together. And we [the United States] are ready. We are ready to increase pressure on Russia. But we need our European partners to follow us," Bessent said.

According to him, the partners are currently in a "race between how long the Ukrainian army can hold out and how long the Russian economy can hold out."

"And if the US and the EU can intervene, they can impose more sanctions, secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in total collapse. And this will force the president Putin to sit down at the negotiating table," the American official summarized.

• On September 4, after the meeting of the "coalition of the willing" in Paris, president Zelenskyy, European partners, and Trump had a phone call. Following the conversation, French president Macron said that if Russia did not continue to agree to a ceasefire, then Europe and the US to impose sanctions. On the same day, von der Leyen, during a call with US vice president Vance, discussed the issue of maintaining a united front on sanctions against Russia.

• On the night of September 7, the Russians carried out a massive attack on Ukraine, which killed four people and injured 44. Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Macron: the politicians coordinated joint diplomatic efforts, further steps and contacts with partners to "ensuring a proper response".

• Prime minister Svyrydenko, showing the consequences of the occupiers' attack on the Cabinet of ministers building, said that the government will continue to work despite Russian terror, and it is time for partners to act in strengthening Ukraine's air defense and increasing sanctions against Moscow. Foreign minister Sybiha discusses with head of European diplomacy Kallas Ukraine's defense needs and the new EU sanctions package against Russia.