'It's disgusting' — Trump says deadly Russian attack on Kyiv 'very sad,' threatens sanctions
U.S. President Donald Trump has said Russia's latest attacks on Ukraine are "disgusting," adding the Kremlin has "about eight days" to make a peace deal or face sanctions, he told reporters at the White House on July 31.
"Russia, I think it's disgusting what they're doing ... I think what Russia's doing is very sad," Trump said at the briefing.
He also said Steve Witkoff, his Special Envoy for the Middle East, will pay another visit to Russia after his current trip to Israel. He did not specify the dates or agenda of his visit.
The announcement came after a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv that killed at least 27 people and just over a week before Trump's new Aug. 8 deadline for Russia to make a peace deal to end the war against Ukraine.
Trump said the Kremlin has "about eight days" to make a deal or face sanctions though he was vague about the penalties Washington would impose if Moscow failed to reach a peace settlement.
"Yeah, we're gonna put sanctions — I don't know that sanctions bother (Russian President Vladimir Putin) ... I don't know if that has any effect, but we're gonna do it," he said.
Senior U.S. diplomat John Kelley told the United Nations Security Council on July 31 that the White House wants a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine by Aug. 8. Days earlier, Trump warned that tariffs on Moscow would take effect within 10 days unless the Kremlin agreed to a ceasefire.
Witkoff has held in-person meetings with Putin on several previous occasions. A real estate developer with no prior diplomatic experience, Witkoff has emerged as the Trump administration's key representative in Moscow, though his reliance on Kremlin translators and comments about Russian-occupied territories have sparked concern and controversy.
As Trump's public rhetoric towards the Kremlin has toughened in recent weeks, Witkoff has also reportedly been pushing to ease sanctions against Russian energy.
