Seeing that the Russia-Ukraine peace talks are difficult to achieve breakthroughs in the near future, the game between all parties has become more intense.

According to the news agency, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on 22nd that he had canceled plans for a recent meeting of U.S. and Russian leaders.The same day, the United States announced sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, while EU member states agreed on a 19th round of sanctions against Russia.

On the Russian side, under the command of Russian President Putin, Russia held joint exercises of land, sea and air strategic nuclear forces, and during the exercises launched intercontinental ballistic missiles and airborne cruise missiles.

The Russian pressure.

During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Luther at the White House on the 22nd, Trump said he had cancelled the previously scheduled recent "TOP meeting" in Hungary, because he felt that the "time is not right" and the current meeting "cannot the goal".

Earlier that day, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent announced that the United States had imposed sanctions on two of Russia¡¯s largest oil companies, including the Russian state-owned Russian Petroleum Corporation and the private company Lukas Petroleum.

The statement did not explicitly mention the effective date of the sanctions. It is estimated that the crude oil exports of these two companies account for nearly 50% of Russia's total crude oil exports.

The statement accused the Russian side of refusing a ceasefire and accused sanctioned Russian oil companies of funding Russian special military operations.

In this regard, Trump said it was time to impose sanctions on Russia, "we have waited a long time."The outside world believes that Trump was disappointed with the absence of progress in the Russian-US talks after the US-Russian leaders' meeting in Alaska in August.

However, he once again stated that he would not teach Ukraine how to operate the Tomahawk long-range cruise missile.

Public opinion believes that the latest U.S. sanctions against Russia mark another turn in the White House's attitude.

Previously, the U.S. government seemed to be swinging between pressure on Russia and a more moderate strategy, but Trump seemed determined to put pressure on Russia after U.S. calls for a ¡°local ceasefire¡± were rejected by Russia.

The analysis also pointed out that Trump's position may continue to waver in the future. The fundamental reason is that Trump's core goal is a quick ceasefire and a demonstration of diplomatic achievements, not a victory for one side. He is also reluctant to substantially increase military aid to Ukraine to prevent the United States from being further involved in the conflict.

Frequency of action.

As the United States turns its stance towards Russia, the game on the Ukrainian-Russian side is also more intense.

Europe is continuing to increase sanctions against Russia. On the 22nd, EU member states reached an agreement on the 19th round of sanctions against Russia. It is expected that the EU summit held on the 23rd will formally approve the sanctions.

The EU will for the first time ban Russian LNG from entering the European market and lower the Russian crude oil price ceiling to $47.6 per barrel; Russian petroleum companies, Russian gas industry petroleum companies will face a comprehensive trade ban; the EU will expand the trade ban on financial institutions in countries such as Russia and include cryptocurrency platforms in sanctions for the first time.

It is reported that EU leaders will also discuss plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine at a meeting on the 23rd. Russia has said that the plan amounts to "robbery."

In addition, according to EU diplomats revealed, the EU is recently jointly with Ukraine to put forward a "12-point recommendation" plan, in the core similar to the U.S. position, to push Russia along the current front, intending to fight for the right to speak on the issue of Ukraine.

The Russian nuclear force.

On the 22nd, the Russian side that Russia held joint exercises of strategic nuclear forces on land, sea and air under the command of Putin.

During the exercise, a "Yars" intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk State Experimental Space Launch Site to the Kula shooting range in Kamchatka Peninsula.

In addition, in the waters of the Barents Sea, the "Bryansk" strategic nuclear submarine launched the "Deep Blue" ballistic missile. At the same time, the Tu-95MS long-range strategic bomber participating in the exercise launched an air-launched cruise missile.

Analysts believe that Russia's move is intended to strengthen nuclear deterrence and "show muscles" to Ukraine and its Western allies. Since the 13th of this month, NATO has also held its annual nuclear exercise, saying that it will send a clear signal to "potential opponents". But with both NATO and Russia lowering the threshold for deploying and using tactical nuclear weapons, the risk of regional nuclear conflict is rising.

Author: The Liberation Daily