A strong attack on Putin is being prepared

Although no additional sanctions against the banks are expected, according to those sources, the White House is considering a number of other measures that would force Russian President Vladimir Putin to relent at the negotiating table – including a proposal for a 30-day truce supported by Ukraine but persistently rejected by the Kremlin.

On Sunday, Trump publicly commented on the possibility of new sanctions for the first time.

"We are absolutely considering that option. He kills a lot of people. I don't know what's wrong with him. What on earth happened to him?" said Trump, not hiding his anger towards the Russian leader, with whom he previously claimed to have a "special relationship".

According to unofficial information from the top of the US administration, Trump is also considering the possibility of withdrawing completely from the peace process if the "final attempt" does not bear fruit - which would be an unprecedented turn for the president who claimed during the campaign that he would stop the war in Ukraine "on the first day" of his mandate.

In the event of the US withdrawal from the negotiations, it remains unclear whether Washington will continue military aid to Kyiv, which could have far-reaching consequences for the situation on the battlefield and the balance of power.

"President Trump has made it clear that he wants to reach peace through negotiations," said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, adding that he is "wisely leaving all options open."

This turn marks a new phase in the cooling of relations between the USA and Russia - relations that have been going through turbulence in the last few months. At the beginning of his term, Trump believed that he could improve relations with Moscow thanks to, as he claimed, his personal influence with Putin.

Just hours after Trump announced possible new sanctions on Russia, Moscow responded with the strongest airstrike on Ukraine to date - launching more than 350 explosive drones and at least nine cruise missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that it was the most intensive attack since the beginning of the invasion, while the Russians claimed that it was a response to Ukrainian attacks inside Russian territory.

Increasingly tough attitude towards Putin

Trump's attitude towards Putin in the first months of his term fluctuated - from threats of sanctions and harsh statements, to ideas about the abolition of trade barriers and American investments in Russia. However, the rhetoric in recent days has become increasingly harsh.

"I've known him for years, we've always gotten along well, but now he's sending missiles into cities and killing civilians. I don't like that at all," Trump said on Sunday. "We are talking about peace, and at the same time he is bombing Kyiv and other cities. I don't like that. At all."

The former US ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor, commented on Trump's rhetoric: "It seems that Trump is now beginning to understand who Vladimir Putin is. The question is - will this understanding result in concrete moves? Will he introduce real sanctions?"

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"The answer so far looks like this: Trump is on the verge of concluding – or has already reached it – that Putin is an obstacle to peace," Taylor added.

Three items shaped Trump's view of the situation.

The first is his deep dislike for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom Trump considers a provocateur and "an obstacle to peace." In a social media post on Sunday, while attacking Putin, Trump also said that "Zelensky is not doing his people a favor with the way he's talking," implying that the Ukrainian leader was further fueling the conflict.

Second, Trump does not believe that additional sanctions would reduce Russia's war power at all - but he does believe that they would undermine efforts to restore US-Russian economic cooperation, which is an important strategic goal of his.

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Third and perhaps the most significant – Trump believed that he "knows Putin well enough" and that he would listen to him out of personal respect and do him a favor by stopping the war. But last week's phone conversation with the Russian president - during which Putin again rejected a truce - was, according to sources, a cold shower for Trump.

After the conversation with Putin, Trump addressed Zelensky and European leaders, saying that he doubted how the Russian leader even wants to end the conflict, WSJ writes.