— U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC’s Meet the Press that Washington and European partners are weighing a new round of sanctions and secondary tariffs on Russia to press President Vladimir Putin toward peace negotiations over Ukraine. Bessent said the U.S. is ready to escalate economic pressure but emphasized that such steps require coordinated follow-through from Europe. He also said President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday, and von der Leyen later discussed sanctions with him. The comments reflect a deliberate strategy by U.S. officials to use heightened economic strain as leverage for talks.
Key takeaways
- On Sept. 7, 2025, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC that the U.S. and Europe are discussing fresh sanctions and secondary tariffs aimed at increasing economic pressure on Russia.
- Bessent said President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance spoke to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday; von der Leyen subsequently raised sanctions with Bessent.
- The U.S. position, as described by Bessent, is readiness to escalate measures but contingent on European alignment and enforcement.
- Officials frame a severe economic downturn inside Russia as a potential incentive for Moscow to enter peace talks with Ukraine, not as a guaranteed outcome.
- Secondary tariffs — measures targeting third‑party trade benefiting Russia — are under discussion as a complement to direct sanctions.
- Any move to intensify sanctions carries spillover risks for global energy markets, European growth, and diplomatic relations with nonaligned states.
Background
Economic pressure has been a central element of Western policy toward Russia since the 2014 annexation of Crimea and accelerated after the 2022 full‑scale invasion of Ukraine. A mix of asset freezes, targeted financial restrictions, export controls, and price caps on key commodities has sought to limit Moscow’s ability to finance its military operations while constraining technology imports. Over time, those measures have altered trade flows, prompted import‑substitution efforts in Russia, and increased scrutiny of third‑country firms that may circumvent restrictions.
European Union member states, NATO partners and Washington have long debated the balance between coercion and escalation: how to impose enough pain to change Kremlin behavior without provoking unpredictable countermeasures or inflicting disproportionate damage on allies’ economies. Secondary tariffs — duties applied to goods from third countries that benefit Russia — are a newer lever under consideration to broaden pressure beyond direct sanctions. Coordination among U.S. and European capitals is widely viewed as essential to maximize economic impact and minimize leakage.
Main event
In an interview broadcast on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, Mr. Bessent said the U.S. is prepared to intensify economic measures against Russia if Europe concurs. He framed further restrictions as a tool to alter Moscow’s calculus and, ultimately, to bring Mr. Putin to the negotiating table on Ukraine. Bessent highlighted recent diplomatic contacts, saying President Trump and Vice President Vance spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday about coordinated steps.
Bessent stressed that timing and cohesion matter: the United States can propose and supply tools, but European enforcement and political agreement determine their reach. He described conversations with EU officials as ongoing and characterized them as exploratory rather than final decisions. That exchange underscores the administration’s reliance on allied consensus to raise the stakes for Moscow without isolating Washington.
Publicly, European capitals have expressed continued support for sanctions while weighing domestic exposures to energy and trade shocks. Some EU members are cautious about measures that could disrupt supply chains or raise consumer prices, and others press for simultaneous diplomatic channels to avoid unintended escalation. Those divisions shape the contours of any new package the U.S. and EU might assemble.
Analysis & implications
From a strategic perspective, intensifying economic pressure aims to create credible costs that make prolonging the conflict less attractive to Moscow. If sanctions and secondary tariffs materially reduce revenues for the Russian state or disrupt critical procurement, leaders in Moscow could face narrower policy choices. That may increase incentives for a negotiated settlement — especially if elite support erodes — but the causal link is uncertain and depends on how economic stress translates into political pressure inside Russia.
There are important limits. Russia’s leadership has shown resilience to previous rounds of sanctions through macroeconomic adjustments, currency controls and trade reorientation toward non‑Western partners. Moreover, severe economic contraction can produce nationalist retrenchment and bolster hardline narratives, complicating prospects for a negotiated exit. The Kremlin might also retaliate with asymmetric responses — in energy, military operations, or cyber measures — that would impose costs on Europe and global markets.
Secondary tariffs broaden the set of levers by targeting goods and routes that circumvent direct sanctions. Their effectiveness rests on precise targeting and the willingness of third‑country governments and private firms to comply with new duties and enforcement regimes. If implemented, secondary tariffs could raise the political and economic costs for states or firms that indirectly sustain Russia’s economy; conversely, they risk fracturing international consensus if perceived as extraterritorial or punitive toward nonaligned partners.
Comparison & data
| Year | Primary measure | Typical target |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Asset freezes, visa bans | Individuals, select sectors |
| 2022 | Broad financial restrictions, export controls | Banking, energy tech, defense supply |
| 2025 (proposed) | New sanctions + secondary tariffs | Expanded trade flows, third‑party facilitators |
The table outlines the evolution from early targeted measures in 2014 to broader financial and trade restrictions after 2022, and now to discussions about secondary tariffs in 2025. Past rounds reduced specific lines of access and complicated procurement for sanctioned entities; the proposed measures would seek to cut off additional routes that have allowed some economic activity to continue.
Reactions & quotes
“We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, but we need our partners in Europe to follow,”
Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary (NBC’s Meet the Press / reported by Bloomberg)
“Coordinated measures between the U.S. and EU are essential if new sanctions are to have bite,”
Policy analyst (paraphrase of expert reaction)
“Any decision on secondary tariffs will hinge on legal design and allied political agreement,”
European official (anonymous, paraphrased)
Officials in Washington framed Bessent’s remarks as an attempt to galvanize allied unity. Analysts noted that public signaling can be part of a coercive strategy — testing European willingness while warning the Kremlin of escalatory options. European diplomats, speaking on background, emphasized that domestic vulnerabilities and legal constraints will shape which measures move forward.
Unconfirmed
- Whether European capitals will agree to adopt the specific secondary tariffs discussed; formal decisions had not been announced as of Sept. 7, 2025.
- The degree to which intensified sanctions would reliably persuade the Kremlin to enter meaningful peace negotiations remains uncertain and contingent on Russian domestic politics.
- Exact scope, timing and enforcement mechanisms of any new U.S.-EU package were still under negotiation and unconfirmed publicly.
Bottom line
The U.S. is signaling readiness to escalate economic pressure on Russia as a lever to induce negotiations, but the approach rests heavily on allied cohesion. Secretary Bessent’s public remarks are as much a call to European partners as a warning to Moscow — coordination will determine whether the measures are credible and enforceable.
Even if agreed, new sanctions and secondary tariffs carry tradeoffs: they could accelerate financial strain on Russia and open a diplomatic window, but they also risk backlash, retaliation and economic spillovers. Policymakers will need to weigh the potential diplomatic payoff against the risks of escalation and the practical challenges of designing legally sound, widely enforceable measures.
Sources
- Bloomberg — news report summarizing Bessent interview and diplomatic context (media)
- NBC Meet the Press — broadcast/interview platform where Bessent’s remarks were made (media/program)
- European Commission — institutional interlocutor referenced in diplomatic exchanges (official/institution)