Scott Bessent assures that the US is ready to 'take strong measures' against Russia

This Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Besent met with the European Union's special envoy for sanctions, David O'Sullivan, in Washington. The two-day meeting is part of a series of talks aimed at strengthening US-EU coordination on sanctions against the Kremlin.

O'Sullivan, who has spearheaded the bloc's global offensive to prevent sanctions evasion by Moscow, is leading the European delegation.

Following Monday's talks, Bessent assured that the United States is ready to take "strong measures" against Russia over the war in Ukraine, but full cooperation from Europe is crucial.

This Tuesday, the Treasury secretary wrote in a message on X that "all options remain on the table" as part of President Donald Trump's strategy to support peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

Traditional negotiation "has not worked," Bessent added. "We are willing to take strong measures against Russia, but our European partners must fully join us to succeed." He also stressed that the U.S. and EU are aligned on the importance of putting an end to the war in Ukraine.

A source familiar with the discussions told AFP that the meeting touched on possible economic sanctions and tariff actions against Moscow.

U.S. officials present included members of the Treasury Department, the White House, the State Department and the Trade Representative's office, the source added on condition of anonymity.