United States President Donald Trump has threatened new sanctions while slamming Russia’s military actions in Ukraine as “disgusting”, writes Al Jazeera.

“Russia – I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think it’s disgusting”, Trump told reporters on Thursday, the same day Moscow’s attacks on Kyiv killed more than a dozen people. He also said he would send his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, currently in Israel, to visit Russia next.

Russian President has already met Witkoff multiple times in Moscow, before Trump’s efforts to mend ties with the Kremlin came to a grinding halt.

Washington has given Moscow until the end of next week to cease hostilities in Ukraine, under threat of severe economic sanctions. Trump reiterated the deadline: “We’re going to put sanctions. I don’t know that sanctions bother him [Vladimir Putin]”.

Trump has previously threatened that new measures could mean “secondary tariffs” targeting Russia’s remaining trade partners, such as China and India. This would further stifle Russia, but would risk significant international disruption. In recent weeks, Trump has increasingly voiced frustration with Putin over Moscow’s unrelenting offensive.