Written by The Banking Post
U.S. and European officials met at the U.S. Treasury Department on Monday to explore new measures against Russia, including sanctions and fresh tariffs on oil purchases, as part of efforts to push Moscow toward ending its war in Ukraine.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted under two hours, covered tariff options, the importance of coordinated action, and the future of Russian sovereign assets immobilized in Europe, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
Participants included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and senior officials from the White House, State Department, and U.S. Trade Representative. The European delegation featured experts on energy, sanctions, finance, and trade. Another round of talks is scheduled for Tuesday.
President Donald Trump has pressed allies to align fully with U.S. actions, signaling readiness to take tougher steps while urging collective commitment. His administration has also set a now-expired deadline for Russia to withdraw, raising pressure after last month’s Alaska summit with President Vladimir Putin.
Trump told reporters Sunday he expects to speak with Putin “in the next couple of days” and voiced optimism about a breakthrough, though he acknowledged the conflict has proven harder to resolve than expected.
“I believe we’re going to get it settled,” Trump said. “I have confidence we’re going to get it done.”
