US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with "Politico" that the administration of President Donald Trump will not impose new sanctions on Russia at this stage, as it wants to leave room for negotiating a ceasefire and a lasting peace process.
"If we do what everyone here wants - which is to crush them with more sanctions - we will probably lose the opportunity to talk to them about a ceasefire. And then who will talk to them?", Rubio said on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague.
According to him, President Trump will know "the exact time and place" for possible new economic measures against Moscow. Rubio stressed that the White House is working closely with Congress to ensure the president has the necessary flexibility regarding sanctions policy.
"If there is an opportunity to make a difference and bring them (Russia - ed.) to the negotiating table, we will take it", Rubio added.
The statement comes in the context of growing calls from European partners for tougher economic measures against Russia over the war in Ukraine. However, the Trump administration is betting on an approach that combines pressure with maintaining diplomatic channels.
After the initial diplomatic activity at the beginning of Trump's term, including direct talks with Russian representatives, the frequency and intensity of contacts between Washington and Moscow have significantly decreased. The Russian side does not seem to be ready for any substantial compromises and instead is using the US wait-and-see attitude to step up its offensive in Ukraine.
Although direct talks are underway between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul - which President Trump insists are the result of his efforts - no real progress has been made so far, apart from limited agreements on the exchange of prisoners of war.