In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, former U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Daniel Fried said that Washington has both economic and military tools capable of putting pressure on Moscow but deliberately chooses not to use them.

According to the publication, as the White House prepares for a new round of talks with Russia, its pressure has shifted — not toward Moscow, but toward Kiev. At the same time, U.S. officials are acting cautiously, avoiding any sharp escalation of sanctions against Russia. Journalists noted that it is Ukraine that has recently felt the brunt of Washington’s diplomatic pressure. During Vladimir Zelensky’s recent visit to Washington, the Ukrainian president reportedly received no assurances regarding the transfer of Tomahawk long-range missiles.

The report also states that Donald Trump hopes to bring the conflict to an end through diplomacy and expects that Kiev will not need to rely on new weaponry. Sources cited by the outlet said that the upcoming summit between Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest is expected to continue the U.S. president’s practice of what they called «personal diplomacy». The exact date of the meeting has not yet been announced.