WSJ: Trump’s Team Pushes for a Tougher Stance on Putin

Several senior officials in Trump’s entourage are advising him to be more skeptical of Moscow’s claims that it wants peace with Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported. According to the outlet’s sources, such advice was given by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, among others. Kellogg said on Sunday that the Russian attack on Sumy had “crossed all limits of decency”, while Rubio called it “horrifying”, bbc.com reported citing wsj.com. Officials recommend that Trump be more cautious with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They advise him to take a tougher stance when it comes to Moscow’s demands for territorial concessions from Kyiv. However, Trump, the WSJ writes, shares the view of his special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff, after two meetings with Putin, believes that the Russian president wants peace in Ukraine. Daniel Fried, a former senior US State Department official, told WSJ that the department is working with the Finance Ministry to prepare options for tougher sanctions against Russia. He said officials believe they have “political cover” to consider tougher sanctions “if Trump really decides he’s had enough of Putin.”