Latvian FM Urges Trump to Accelerate Russia Sanctions

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže is calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to act swiftly on additional sanctions against Russia, warning that there is no evidence President Vladimir Putin is interested in peace.

The Gaze reports this, referring to Politico.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Aspen Security Forum on Wednesday, Braže urged Trump not to wait the full 50 days he recently outlined for Moscow to halt its war against Ukraine. 

“It should be earlier,” she said. “There is no sense in giving Putin more time while Russian forces continue attacking.”

Her comments follow Trump’s Monday announcement that the U.S. would send more military aid to Ukraine and implement secondary tariffs, potentially up to 100 percent, on countries continuing to trade with Russia, should Putin fail to agree to a peace deal within 50 days.

While welcoming the tougher tone, Braže warned that Russia still retains the means to prolong its military campaign.  She emphasized that delaying sanctions could allow Moscow to regroup and continue its aggression. 

“What we are looking for is pressure on Russia and weakening Russia’s ability to conduct warfare. It’s not about the Russian people,” she said. “It’s about the Russian war fighting capacity and what they are doing on the battlefield, that all needs to be weakened.”

Latvia, a NATO frontline state sharing borders with both Russia and Belarus, has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine. The Baltic nation contributes 3.15 percent of its GDP to NATO defense spending and has allocated 2 percent of its pre-war GDP to aid Ukraine.

Braže stressed that new sanctions should focus on undermining Russia’s capacity to wage war, not harming its citizens. “This is not about the Russian people. It’s about dismantling Russia’s war-fighting ability and weakening its operations on the battlefield.”

Her assessment aligns with recent Western intelligence findings that Putin has shown no genuine interest in ending the conflict. “He [Trump] gave it time, but Putin keeps delaying. It’s become clear he’s simply playing for time,” she stated.

Asked earlier this week about the 50-day timeframe, Trump said it could be shortened. “I don’t think 50 days is that long,” he told reporters.

Read more on The Gaze: New Sanctions against Russia – How they Reduce its Ability to Wage War