President Joe Biden is expected to unveil new sanctions targeting Russia's economy this week, according to a U.S. official, as part of measures to bolster Kyiv's war effort against Moscow before Donald Trump takes office.
Separately, the Biden administration announced $500 million in new military aid for Ukraine on Thursday that included air defense missiles, air-to-ground munitions and support equipment for F-16 fighter jets.
President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House on Jan. 20 has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow's invasion but also fears in Kyiv that a quick peace could come at a high price for Ukraine.
Advisers to Trump have floated proposals to end the war that would effectively cede large parts of the country to Russia for the foreseeable future.
Biden aides say they want to put Ukraine in the strongest position on the battlefield to give them leverage for possible negotiations with Russia this year.
There were no immediate details on the sanctions Biden would impose in his final days in office but Biden aides are briefing Trump's aides on the steps they are taking, the official said.
Reuters reported earlier this week that three sources said the United States was planning more sanctions targeting Russia's oil revenues that help fund its war on Ukraine. One of the sources said the sanctions would target two Russian oil companies, more than 100 tankers, oil traders and Russian insurance companies, without naming the entities.
The U.S. official said that most of the weapons and munitions promised to Ukraine have been delivered and the remainder are on the way. Ukraine's critical munitions stock piles are now in a healthy position, the official added.
Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a statement, noted that the latest aid comes as he meets with about 50 allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said separately that the group would "stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russia’s aggression". But German officials were bracing for a possible U.S. withdrawal from the meetings under Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government has regularly pushed for greater weapons support than Biden was initially willing to offer but ultimately did, leading to tense private encounters over topics including Abrams tanks, F-16 fighter jets and longer-range ATACMS missile systems.
In retrospect, the U.S. official said, none of those steps have yielded major gains for Ukraine on the battlefield.
Ukraine may need security commitments, including potential NATO membership, to ward off a future Russian assault following peace negotiations, the U.S. official said. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Meanwhile, U.S. military officials are studying North Korean operations in the Ukraine war to assess how they might handle any conflict in Asia. Thousands of North Korean forces are believed to be supporting Russians in the war with Ukraine.
The United States is also likely to impose sanctions on more Chinese entities for their efforts to support Russia, the official said.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
60 Comments
JJE
Russia is in the driver’s seat and has no reason to parley any time soon.
The endgame will be exactly as Putin outlined in June of last year but probably stronger since the generous offer was arrogantly dismissed back then.
The article mentions these losers admit that none of the wonder-weapons they have bestowed upon their proxy have significantly moved the needle.
A few last minute hand-me-downs and some sanctions isn't going to convince Moscow to abandon vital national security goals on its front porch.
Moscow has made it abundantly clear there will be no NATO and the 'security guarantees' will be provided by Moscow.
(think about it... does Palestine get 'security guarantees'... why yes, yes it does, from the adversary. Same principal will be applied here)
Underworld
This is essential. Putin may not like it, but beggars cannot be choosers.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Can't rely on Trump to do the right thing for anything.
bass4funk
It should always be for the U.S. first and foremost, everyone else take a number
TaiwanIsNotChina
Doing business with our enemies isn't putting the US first, either. MAGAs can't even get isolationism right.
bass4funk
Thank you, this is something Zelenskyy needs to understand!! I agree!
Wait two more weeks and you will.
Underworld
bass4funk
Can't rely on Trump to do the right thing for anything.
Helping Ukraine is always for the U.S. first and foremost.
Underworld
JJE
Ummm, actually they do. Their economy is in tatters because of this war. Russia can't sustain current interest rates and inflation rates.
That wasn't a generous offer, and if he tries it again, Ukraine will reject it.
Sanctions might. When they finally sanctioned Gazprom bank, the Ruble plummeted.
They don't get to choose.
That's not a security guarantee. That's a dingo looking after your baby.
bass4funk
Not according to most Americans.
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-plead-arms-assistance-donald-trump-vladimir-putin-russia/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/51-americans-oppose-military-aid-083513831.html
Underworld
bass4funk
Helping Ukraine is always for the U.S. first and foremost.
Most Americans don't understand foreign affairs.
bass4funk
They understand American affairs more importantly
plasticmonkey
If that were true, they wouldn’t have elected Trump.
/s
Underworld
bass4funk
Most Americans don't understand foreign affairs.
Foreign affairs are American affairs.
bass4funk
Well, they don’t care about foreign affairs, that’s a good thing
Good, it can wait then.
plasticmonkey
Like, tariffs will lower prices!
And, asylum seekers are illegals who have escaped from lunatic asylums!
bass4funk
A bit more complicated
Then let the illegals apply for it, they will check and verify to see if the claim is valid and if so, they should be able to stay. Procedures and protocols need to be followed
asdfgtr
At the beginning of the war, Russia used T90M tanks at the front. Now, Russian soldiers use electric scooters, jeeps, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles when they are not on foot.
The Russian submarine fleet is growing every day, by 2025 Russia will have lost more than 1,000,000 men in the war, the Russian economy is in free fall. What's the point? To boost mr. Putin's ego?
asdfgtr
The ruble has lost 10% in the past two weeks, this jacks up inflation, even if the ru figures refuse to admit it. It is a matter of fact, as now everything costs 10% more.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Ukraine isn't doing business with America's enemies.
bass4funk
Hmmm
Soon Ukraine will be doing less business with America
Some dude
This is also clever from an optics perspective. When Biden leaves office, the official policy of the US government regarding Russia will be very, very clear. So Trump will have to decide (OK, he'll have to wait for Putin to order him, but let's not get ahead of ourselves) whether to keep going with that policy or not. However, if he reverses it, it will be incredibly clear that he is basically supporting Russia and Putin. No room for ambiguity whatsoever. That will of course be fine with the MAGA people, who like Putin almost as much as they like Trump, but it could have ripple effects with moderate republicans (if such a creature still exists) and pretty much every democrat.
Course I doubt Trump thinks that far ahead, and just does whatever pops into his head when he wakes up every day.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Says nothing about American views on aiding Ukraine.
Is that another landslide win?
wallace
Trump said he would stop the war in a day but what he meant was he'll hand Ukraine over to Putin on a plate.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Glad you agree that halting aid to Ukraine is low priority as your own link shows.
bass4funk
Yes, he pretty much already did.
Yes, no need for comical Friday morning humor. Lol
He most likely won’t or significantly decreasing it.
No, he’s supporting the U.S. and the American agenda policy
No, we don’t like Putin or Zelenskyy, we want an American president not a globalist that is one of the reasons why we voted for him.
The Dems will be less of a headache this time around and most of the Republicans thankfully are with the incoming President and his America first agenda.
Not even remotely close. The left is just angry they can’t take this guy, go figure. lol
bass4funk
Well, Trump already stated aid will be cut, so Ukraine will not be a priority after the 20 th and Zelenskyy knows this, this is why he’s scrambling to get all the aid he can get. Time is not on his side with this situation.
Peter Neil
and yet trump says he wants to increase military spending to highest level ever.
news flash: russia is not a friend of america. he wants to spend much more on the military than the pittance being spent to defend against a russian invasion.
when has trump ever done anything he said he’d do?
fox news has rotted the brains of people.
bass4funk
Yes, I hope so, especially with China around the corner.
No, but they are the largest nuclear power on the planet and it would be beneficial to have a mutual understanding and more dialogue since we do engage with some trade with the Russians
Europe can step up to fill that gap, we did enough, more than enough.
All the time when Dems are not in his way.
It has nothing to do with FOX, although the conservative network, and FOX included have shown both sides of the stories whereas, the liberal networks are just bash Trump 24/7 and that’s all and that’s why no one is watching them.
Underworld
bass4funk
Glad you agree that halting aid to Ukraine is low priority as your own link shows.
No he didn't.
JJE
It’s game over and the Atlanticist elites know it. Ukraine stands to catastrophically collapse with Russia not merely overrunning the Donbass, but the entire BlackRock-owned mineral-rich 'El-Dorado'.
Recall, months ago when these same globalist shills gabbed about Ukraine 'losing', they did so in a kind of winking way, still clutching the illusion Ukraine could keep most of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, with unhinged calls for an unconditional ceasefire or "freezing" it.
They've tried for a long time to sell us on Russia being keen for a ceasefire, yet simultaneously now basically admit that Ukraine faces total capitulation - how is that possible? A "battered" Russia in desperate need of a "time out" does not sync with a Russia with its foot on Ukraine’s throat, one finishing blow away from delivering the coup de grace, which is the unfolding reality.
Which brings us back to today’s theme: they’re finally all coming around. It’s a time of revelations, and a time of throwing caution and duplicity to the wind, because there’s simply no time left - Ukraine’s globalist curators know it’s the final stretch.
Primusinter
When are you going to be surprised? Still nothing? Still no horns on the butting cow?
Primusinter
Trump will continue to support Ukraine. He is obsessed with looking strong,
His team is reviewing the approach to ending the war, but there is no plan yet. Trump is afraid of comparisons with the "catastrophic withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan" under Biden.
Actually, no one counted on him in Russia. A piece of advice: don't stumble, Donna.
Underworld
JJE
I don't think it's anywhere close to a final stretch. Mainly because Putin does not want peace. Putin needs to allow Ukraine NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees, and he doesn't seem anywhere close to that reality.
bass4funk
Yes, he did.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/08/russia-frozen-assets-central-bank-currency-reserves-ukraine-europe-trump/
lincolnman
Good for Biden. You know once Putin's Poodle gets sworn in that all the strings in the White House will be pulled from the Kremlin...
Dancing Donald - Putin's Puppet...
Underworld
bass4funk
No he didn't.
Nowhere in that article does it quote Trump saying he will cut aid to Ukraine.
Peter Neil
bass4funkToday 08:34 am JST
that makes no sense at all.
so you’re preparing for war with china? nice. china isn’t going to invade the u.s., they might invade somewhere else.
does that mean the u.s. should defend somewhere else from china, but not ukraine from russia? or be america first and let china invade wherever it wants?
if so, what’s the purpose again for a massive military build up?
Burgerland
Biden admin sending more weapons and pushing Kyiv to lower mobilization age to 18 to send more Ukrainian boys to fight and die for US neocon strategic goals of weakening Russia. Warmongers. Good riddance in a couple of weeks.
Peter Neil
naw, the military build up in the military equipment industry is to try to buttress against the coming job loses from tariffs in the construction and food industries.
wave the flag and build bombs because of foreign heathens. it’s an old, but reliable trick.
Burgerland
"Helping Ukraine is always for the U.S. first and foremost."
No it isn't. Ukraine is kinda far from your border. Canada / Greenland on the other hand...lol.
Burgerland
he is basically supporting Russia and Putin. No room for ambiguity whatsoever."
Nope , he is basically supporting peace and end to even more fighting / deaths. Ukraine needs peace.
No room for ambiguity whatsoever."
Indeed.
Burgerland
Putin needs to allow Ukraine NATO membership "
That might be what the NATO crowd thinks Putin "needs" to do, but any realist knows that Ukraine in NATO is a non starter for Kremlin. Not going to happen. That was one of the main reason for this conflict in the first place.
Underworld
DizLass
Yes, indeed.
Underworld
Burgerland
Putin needs to allow Ukraine NATO membership
Important to stay optimistic.
Not at all. This is Kremlin propaganda.
RichardPearce
Biden's revenge for being 'stuck' with the American defeat in Afghanistan is to make sure that Trump gets 'stuck' with the American defeat in Ukraine
Peter Neil
after the breakup of the ussr, the agreement made in part to retrieve ussr nuclear weapons from ukraine was that ukraine would never be admitted to nato.
look a map. the non-ussr russia had nato on its doorstep in europe and didn't want another border with noato. russians have always been suspicious of everyone not russian.
Wasabi
Well trump would like to copy his friend putin action and invade friendly neighbor because of "security" reason.
But trump do not have what it's take to be a tyrant him. Unless someone can control the dumb one, the next 4 years will be on the USA people. The world will not forget!
JJE
Budapest memorandum (yes, it's just a memorandum) was NEVER ratified by the US Senate.
But that's beside the point and water under the bridge: it was signed with constitutional post-independence Kiev and became null and void when the illegal, foreign-financed, violent fascist coup occurred in 2014 - violating the agreement and constitutional neutrality.
Burgerland
Important to stay optimistic."
Indeed :) Trump will bring peace to Ukraine, hopefully soon.
Not at all. This is Kremlin propaganda."
No, it isn't.
Burgerland
"You know once Putin's Poodle gets sworn in that all the strings in the White House will be pulled from the Kremlin..."
How do you "know" that?..and who is Putin's Poodle?
bass4funk
No, he wants to make a deal and purchase these countries, it's been done so many times in the past, nothing wrong, new or illegal about it.
He didn't try.
Controlling him would be impeding his agenda and mandate, that won't happen.
I pray that they don't either...
Zaphod
The Biden admin tries to hobble Trump and lock him in into a forever-war. The only beneficiary of this is the military-industrial complex. I hope they fail.
Zaphod
DizLass
The Budapest memorandum was signed (by the Russian Federation) that Ukraine would remain neutral, as per its constitution.
With the removal of the neutrality clause by the UKR regime in 2019 and Zelenskis wish to join Nato, all that became meaningless. It was the US and the post-Maidan UKR government that opened this can of worms.
This is not a secret and has been warned about by many senior diplomats. That the legacy media never explain it and keep their readers in an information bubble is sad.
JJE
So, basically Moscow is supposed to sit on its hands and do nothing while an illegal, unconstitutional, foreign-financed, violent fascist coup is taking part in strategic territory on its doorstep.... sure, pull the other one.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Any responsible, sovereign country will react to offensive developments of this kind with proactive measures.
JJE
Moscow had no signed agreements with the post 2014 unconstitutional government.
Underworld
JJE
There was no coup, no violence, and no foreign finance. Yanukovych Was voted out by a 3/4 majority vote.
Underworld
JJE
Nope. Because this didn’t happen.
JJE
Also important to note categorically there were no actual guarantees made. There were, however, assurances.
Moscow assured them that if they remain constitutionally neutral, then there will be no problem (and there was none from 1991 till 2014) and any deviation will assuredly warrant a response.
JJE
Also relevant to observe the memorandum was not a formal treaty but rather a political commitment. This distinction means it did not have the same legal binding force as a treaty under international law.
Underworld
JJE
Which is kind of moot considering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal under international law.