President Donald Trump announced Friday he intends to make a “major statement” regarding Russia early next week.
This comes amid ongoing Senate efforts to push him toward stronger sanctions following repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine.
In an interview with NBC News Thursday, Trump said, “I think I’ll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday.”
When asked on the White House lawn Friday morning about a recent Russian drone strike that damaged a maternity hospital in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Trump replied, “You’ll be seeing things happen.”
Trump has indicated he may increase sanctions on Moscow due to the attacks that have caused civilian casualties in Ukraine.
He has also discussed penalties against countries that buy Russian oil, minerals, and other products.
Additionally, Trump has suggested possibly sending a new Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine.
This could be done either directly or indirectly by authorizing a US ally, such as Germany or France, to transfer the equipment, per the New York Post.
The president’s hinted moves come as a Senate bill aims to restrict his ability to waive sanctions. The legislation, backed by bipartisan support including Sens. Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, would require a 500% tariff