In the first half of his second term, Donald Trump has not imposed a single new package of sanctions against Russia, despite numerous loud threats. This period has become a defining one for Moscow, Kyiv, and the Western alliance.
According to media sources, Trump is avoiding an escalation with Moscow, and his threatening rhetoric is aimed mostly at domestic politics and projecting strength. As a result, the Kremlin gets a breathing space, U.S. allies grow disappointed, and Ukraine faces uncertainty.
American media note that the White House’s ultimatums were repeatedly postponed and never enforced. European observers believe the pause allows Russia to consolidate its position, while critics in Congress accuse Trump of giving the Kremlin “financial breathing room.”
Trump’s threats, posted on his social media platform, remained just words. The “final deadlines” he set over the summer for a ceasefire came and went without impact. Washington analysts call this a “theater of threats without a play.”
This period may be remembered not as Washington’s offensive, but as a time of loud promises and missed opportunities. Allies are increasingly asking: is this strategy a calculated plan — or simply political improvisation?
