US urges Europe to join broader Russia sanctions before Alaska talks

Washington has stepped up its effort to isolate Moscow over the war in Ukraine, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging Europe to join a broader sanctions framework that could include secondary tariffs on countries still purchasing Russian energy. His comments came as President Donald Trump prepared for a high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the administration has signaled it will seek a concrete path toward a ceasefire even as it warns of intensified penalties if negotiations stall. The White House has already deployed a package of tariffs aimed at India for its continued Russian energy purchases, with officials signaling the possibility of further secondary measures if diplomacy falters.

Bessent told Bloomberg Television that European allies must participate in the use of secondary sanctions and that the scope of pressure could be expanded or narrowed depending on the outcome of the Friday talks between Trump and Putin. “The Europeans need to join us in these sanctions,” he said, adding that it’s “put up or shut up time” for partners who have so far shown skepticism about a proposed $200-per-unit-level levy on countries buying Russian energy through...