Trump Made Decision To Seize Russian Tankers After Putin 'tires Him Out'

The U.S. president approved the advancement of a "crushing sanctions" bill for the same reason.

US President Donald Trump has decided to seize Russian "oil fleet" tankers and approved the advancement of a "crushing sanctions" bill after becoming increasingly frustrated with Vladimir Putin and seeing him as the main obstacle to ending the war in Ukraine. This was reported by The Telegraph, citing knowledgeable sources.

The publication's interlocutors said such moves by the White House are a signal to Moscow to shorten the time to find a peaceful solution, as the Trump administration believes Putin is deliberately dragging out the negotiation process. One source close to Trump's inner circle described his approach as "carrot and stick," noting that "the carrot is essentially over." Another source emphasized that Russia's "two steps forward, one step back" tactic is becoming increasingly "tiresome" for the head of state.

The Telegraph notes that in the past, Trump has often spoken positively about Putin and blamed the protracted conflict on Ukraine. However, according to several current and former U.S. officials, his administration's views are gradually converging with those of European allies, who believe Moscow is deliberately stalling and is in no mood for a real end to the war.

One former U.S. administration official said Washington is increasingly facing a situation in which Russia demonstrates a willingness to reach agreements, but when specific points are discussed, either hardens its position or temporarily withdraws from the talks. At the same time, he noted, Ukraine had shown a greater propensity to compromise.

The publication recalls that Trump's previous statements about his belief in the sincerity of Putin's peaceful intentions caused alarm among Kiev's European partners. Europe pointed out that warm contacts between Trump and Putin were often followed by missile and drone strikes on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. A British official said that against this backdrop, the Trump administration's "mentality" was closer to the European view of the conflict than ever before. He said Putin's "constant brutality, nefarious behavior and gamesmanship have not gone unnoticed by the White House administration."

On January 9, the U.S. Coast Guard seized the tanker Olina (formerly Mivera M), which had been placed on sanctions lists for transporting Russian oil, in the Atlantic. The Olina was the fifth tanker recently boarded by US Coast Guard forces. Previously, the Bella 1 tanker, linked to Russia's "shadow fleet," and the M Sophia were detained. In total, according to The New York Times, the U.S. is currently pursuing 16 tankers. Some vessels, such as the Veronica (renamed Galileo), are urgently changing names and registering under the Russian flag in an attempt to avoid detention.

In addition, Donald Trump has given the green light to a new "crushing sanctions" bill authored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The initiative would impose a 500% duty on imports from countries that buy Russian energy and raw materials.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com