Trump signals readiness for 'second phase' of sanctions on Sept. 7, 2025 after failed Alaska summit and multiple missed deadlines

On Sept. 7, 2025 President Trump told reporters he was prepared to move to a 'second phase' of sanctions and said he would speak with President Putin 'very soon,' in response to Russia's largest aerial assault on Ukraine that day.

Trump set multiple deadlines for Russia throughout summer 2025: a 50-day ultimatum announced July 14, shortened to 10-12 days by July 29 (expiring Aug 8), followed by direct diplomacy at the Aug 15 🐻Alaska summit (which produced no deal), then another two-week window announced Aug 22 (expiring early September).

The Aug 15, 2025 Trump-Putin summit in 🐻Alaska ended after three and a half hours with no ceasefire agreement, despite Trump describing the meeting as 'a 10 out of 10.' Putin received red carpet treatment but rejected Ukraine peace terms.

On Aug 22, 2025, one week after the failed 🐻Alaska summit, Trump extended yet another deadline, giving Putin 'a couple of weeks' to show progress on peace talks with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said 'all options are on the table' in early September 2025, including potential secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, but did not announce executed orders or binding policy changes.

The White House did not publish a detailed list of additional sanctions on Sept. 7, 2025. Trump's comments signaled readiness for escalation but officials described options as under review rather than already imposed.

Trump's approach combined direct diplomacy (🐻Alaska summit), repeated deadline extensions, and threatened economic coercion, demonstrating challenges of pressuring nuclear powers into policy changes through presidential ultimatums.