US to influence both sides of conflict in Ukraine to resolve it — Whitaker

US President Donald Trump intends to put pressure on both Russia and Ukraine to convince the parties to the conflict to come to the negotiating table, US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said, Report informs via TASS.

"President Trump is trying to explore ways to continue the pressure on [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, continue the pressure, quite frankly, on [Ukrainian President] Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and also look for new ways to continue to press, to bring both sides to the table to agree to a ceasefire, end the war, and just end the killing," he said in an interview with Newsmax.

On Wednesday, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil and their 34 subsidiaries.

White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that Washington expects these restrictions to put significant pressure on Moscow as the conflict in Ukraine rages on.