Trump has announced an ultimatum to Russia: Will new US sanctions take effect?.

On Friday, the deadline for Donald Trump's ultimatum regarding sanctions against Russia expires. The US President has repeatedly stated about tough actions in response to the Kremlin's actions. But will sanctions really be imposed? And will they change anything?

Journalists from Novyny.LIVE decided to ask residents of Odessa whether they expect new sanctions against Russia from the USA.

Skeptical Sentiments

Some Ukrainians have a skeptical view of the likelihood of new sanctions. People say that recently the West has been more cautious in its steps, and the USA is increasingly avoiding drastic decisions — perhaps due to fears of the Kremlin's threats regarding nuclear weapons.

'I believe that there will be no new sanctions because for some reason, the American strategy on this issue has become somewhat intimidated. Perhaps they are scared by all of Russia's manipulations with nuclear weapons, especially after the last message from Medvedev. But I really want to believe that this issue will finally be resolved somehow.'

No Sanctions Will Be Imposed

Other respondents assess the situation even more harshly. In their opinion, Trump is simply dragging his feet — as he has done with many other issues related to Russia.

'I believe there will be none. Because Trump will just drag it out. He will meet, embrace, and do other things. Show activity. How long has Trump been in power? How many times has he promised something? And how much has he done of what he promised? Honestly, I don't really believe in it.'

Sanctions Are Just a Formality

Some of those surveyed do not expect decisive actions from the new US administration. Such respondents speculate that sanctions may indeed appear, but they will be largely formal — without real influence on the Kremlin. They explain this by noting that similar practices have occurred before: the West has limited Russia many times, but this did not stop the war and did not force Moscow to change its course.

'He himself says that if these sanctions are imposed, they will bring no meaning. Because they have no impact on whether Russia will change any of its decisions. I think that they will exist, but they will not be as strict as he mentioned.'

Trump's Position

Despite the fears, some Ukrainians still notice positive shifts. They believe that even Trump's passive position is already a progress compared to what it was before. They argue that if the USA does not protect Russia, as it did during Trump's previous term, then this is already a small but significant victory.

'Overall yes, but overall no. They do influence, of course. Overall, now sanctions and the European Union have been imposed. This supports somehow. If Trump has taken a behavioral line that he has at least stopped supporting and saving Russia, then this will undoubtedly help us. Even his passive position toward supporting Ukraine is much better than what he did before.'

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During the discussion about the possibility of imposing new sanctions against Russia by the USA, Ukrainians expressed various views on this situation. Some believe that sanctions will not be introduced by the American administration out of fear of Russia, while others think that these are just formal measures that will not change the Kremlin's policy. Some see a certain progress in the change of Trump's position, although it is small. Overall, the question of sanctions remains open, and the impact of such measures on Russia remains in question.