Trump justifies Moscow rapprochement and renews criticism of Ukraine's president
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would not sign a document imposing additional measures on Russia at present, arguing that doing so could undermine negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. He said his decision to exempt Russian exports from sanctions and tariffs was an attempt to keep Russia at the negotiating table, and described his decision on Russia as "very simple". Trump also criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil and diesel refineries, saying the strikes harm global diesel markets, including in the United States.
Why it matters: It matters for the briefing's sanctions theme because the delay of congressionally approved measures and the exemption for Russian diesel bear directly on the use of economic restrictions as leverage in the war.