Trump's team not planning to discuss easing sanctions against Russia before ceasefire

Trump’s administration intends to address the issue of potentially easing sanctions against Russia only after a ceasefire is achieved.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff stated on Bloomberg that the topic of sanctions was not discussed during the conversation between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

However, he emphasised that this is a discussion both leaders are going to have and that "everybody is open to it".

"But first and foremost, we want a solution that means an end to the fighting. We want to get to the ceasefire. That's the president's policy. And we're going to get to the ceasefire," Witkoff said. 

In Witkoff’s view, once a ceasefire is reached, everything else will be secondary.

"And I think after that, everything else will be a detail: sanction relief and all the other things that go with a full-on peace treaty," he concluded.

On 14 March, the G7 countries declared their readiness to impose further sanctions against Russia and strengthen support for Ukraine if Russia refuses the ceasefire proposal.

On 18 March, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Trump had called for US sanctions to be prepared in case they are needed to increase pressure on Russia.