This tough move was made by President Donald Trump on Truth Social on March 7, in the context of the unpredictable development of the Ukrainian conflict.
Trump said the Russian military is "ckering a heavy blow" on the battlefield in Ukraine, and he is "seriously considering" a new round of sanctions against Moscow.
He said the embargoes would only be lifted when a final ceasefire and peace deal was signed. The US president called on both Russia and Ukraine to quickly sit at the negotiating table before it is too late.
The statement came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the sanctions from the Joe Biden administration as too weak. According to him, Washington is ready to "go all the way" if that gives the US an advantage in peace negotiations.
On Moscow's side, the Kremlin affirmed that Russia is always ready for negotiations, but opposes a temporary ceasefire without a long-term solution. Russia stressed that any peaceful agreement must resolve the root cause of the conflict, including the de Militarization of Ukraine, the elimination of extreme nationalism, Ukraine's neutrality, recognition of territorial reality on the battlefield, and the elimination of NATO's presence on Ukrainian soil.
This is not the first time Mr Trump has threatened Russia with sanctions. In February, he extended a number of embargoes for another year, but left open the possibility of them being lifted if peace was achieved.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the West may need to reassess sanctions if it is to find a long-term solution to the conflict.
However, the US business community in Russia is pressuring Washington to ease sanctions, especially in the fields of aviation, investment and banking. The US chamber of Commerce in Russia warned that the embargoes not only hurt Russia but also negatively affected US businesses.
This week, the Kremlin also said that Western sanctions on Moscow will have to be lifted to heal relations between Russia and the US. Both countries have agreed to make efforts to restore relations after a high-level meeting in Saudi Arabia last month.
