Trump dismisses calls to intensify sanctions on Russia as 'foolish': Diplomacy, not pressure, secures prisoner releases
U.S. President Donald Trump said those urging him to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions are "foolish," according to a report by RIA Novosti following his meeting with Stephen Hubbard, an American citizen recently released by Russian authorities.
"While I was negotiating your release, some foolish people said I should impose sanctions on Russia," the U.S. leader stated.
Trump emphasized that during the negotiations for Hubbard’s release, there were suggestions to impose new restrictions on Moscow. He speculated that adopting such measures could have jeopardized the possibility of Hubbard’s return to the United States. Hubbard, in turn, commented on how Russians view these sanctions, saying they "are all laughing at it."
On September 18, Trump signed into law a package of sweeping sanctions targeting Russia, including restrictions on banks, officials, and a so-called "shadow fleet," along with tariffs on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas. However, he rejected proposals to impose an additional 500% tariff on Russian goods, as well as a 100% tariff on the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas and countries most actively assisting in circumventing export limits on Russian energy. Earlier, Trump had signaled he would make a "very good" decision on sanctions against Russia.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880544044878985/
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