US President Donald Trump has said it is "easier" to deal with Russia than Ukraine, just hours after flagging the possibility of large-scale sanctions and tariffs against Russia in a push to get both countries to negotiate a peace deal.
Overnight, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukrainian infrastructure.
That came just days after the US paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine to pressure Kyiv to accept a ceasefire deal.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday morning, Mr Trump said he was considering fresh sanctions on Moscow.
"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," he said.
"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!"
He added that the prospective sanctions could remain in place until the two sides came to a ceasefire and peace settlement.
The sanctions threat came as Mr Trump faced criticism for increasing pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal while playing down or even denying Russia's responsibility for starting the war with its invasion three years ago.
Trump says Russia easier to deal with
Without US intelligence, Ukraine's ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.
Sean Savett, a former spokesperson for the National Security Council under former US president Joe Biden, described Mr Trump's comments regarding sanctions as an "admission of naivety".
Mr Savett said that was because of Russia's overnight launch of 67 missiles and almost 200 drones at Ukraine.
At least 10 people were injured, according to Ukrainian officials.
In an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office after his most recent comments, Mr Trump shrugged off the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking advantage of the intelligence pause to inflict more pain on Ukraine.
"I think he's doing what anybody else would," Mr Trump said of Mr Putin.
"I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. And they don't have the cards.
"In terms of getting a final settlement, it may be easier dealing with Russia, which is surprising, because they have all the cards, and they're bombing the hell out of them right now."
Mr Trump is sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with Ukrainian officials.
US Treasury secretary describes Biden's sanctions as 'weak'
The US Treasury Department was looking at possible sanctions on Russian oil majors and oilfield service companies, according to an Associated Press source.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday that the US had kept its sanctions on Russia in place and "will not hesitate to go all in should it provide leverage in peace negotiations".
The former Biden administration imposed thousands of sanctions on Russian firms, people, and ships as well as a price cap on Russian oil after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
In its final weeks, the Biden administration hit Moscow with sanctions on Russian energy companies and vessels that shipped its oil, followed by sanctions on 250 targets.
Those measures included fresh sanctions on almost 100 critical Russian entities — including banks and companies operating in the country's energy sector — that were previously sanctioned by the United States, increasing their secondary sanction risks.
But Mr Bessent called the Biden administration's sanctions on Russian energy "egregiously weak" and "stemming from worries about upward pressure on US energy prices".
"Per President Trump's guidance, sanctions will be used explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact," Bessent said.
"They will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are achieving specific objectives."
More than 20,000 sanctions imposed on Russia since Ukraine invasion
Mr Trump's comments about considering new sanctions and tariffs on Russia came days after Reuters reported that his administration was drawing up plans to potentially provide Russia with sanctions relief.
Those plans included ways to ease sanctions on Russia's energy sector, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
Russia, which was among the world's biggest oil producers, was subjected to more than 20,000 sanctions imposed by the United States and its partners after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The US alone has implemented about 6,433 sanctions against Russia since February 2022.
US sanctions on Russia included measures aimed at limiting its oil and gas revenues, including a cap of $US60 per barrel on Russia's oil exports.
ABC/wires
