US Could Hit Russia with More Sanctions to End Ukraine War, Urges Europe to Step Up Pressure
The United States is prepared to unleash additional sanctions targeting critical sectors of Russia’s economy if President Vladimir Putin continues to delay ending the war in Ukraine, U.S. officials revealed on October 25, 2025. However, Washington stresses that it first wants its European allies to intensify their political and financial pressure on Moscow.
Plans for New Sanctions and Strategic Goals
Following recent sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, the Trump administration has formulated a broader and flexible sanctions toolkit aimed at crippling Russia’s banking and oil infrastructure—the backbone of Kremlin’s war financing. While it remains uncertain if these measures will be implemented immediately, the new sanctions signal Washington’s readiness to dramatically escalate pressure to achieve peace in Ukraine.
In parallel, U.S. officials have expressed support for the European Union’s bid to use frozen Russian assets to purchase American-made weapons for Kyiv. Discussions are also underway within the U.S. government about potentially leveraging Russian assets held domestically to fund Ukraine’s ongoing military efforts.
Calls for Increased European Involvement
U.S. officials have voiced frustration over what they describe as insufficient action from European nations. They urge the EU and NATO members to take more decisive steps—whether through new sanctions, tariffs, or other financial measures—to confront Russia. Nevertheless, European officials warn that imposing tougher sanctions, particularly on companies like Lukoil with deep economic ties across Europe, presents complicated challenges due to the firm’s extensive operations in the continent.
One senior EU official noted the difficulty in fully sanctioning Lukoil without disrupting European economies, as the company operates refineries in Bulgaria and Romania and maintains a large retail gas station network. Therefore, Europe must find ways to “disengage” carefully before implementing full-blocking sanctions.
Recent Developments and Diplomatic Context
The fresh U.S. sanctions package follows a recent failed attempt at diplomacy when plans for a summit between President Trump and Putin collapsed. Despite this, Washington has transferred key targeting data for Ukraine’s long-range strikes in Russia to the U.S. European Command in Germany—a move perceived as adopting a tougher stance toward Moscow.
President Trump, who seeks to portray himself as a global peacemaker, has acknowledged that ending Russia’s more than three-year war in Ukraine is proving far more challenging than anticipated. The U.S. and its allies continue to balance diplomatic efforts with mounting economic sanctions to push Moscow toward a ceasefire.
Impact on Global Energy Markets
The newly imposed sanctions on Russia’s oil companies led to a notable spike in global oil prices by over $2 a barrel. This development forced major crude buyers in China and India to seek alternative suppliers, further isolating Russia economically. The sanctions aim to degrade Moscow’s capacity to finance its war machinery and ultimately compel it to negotiate peace.
