Trump Administration Disbands US Russia Pressure Working Group

The Trump administration has quietly disbanded an inter-agency working group formed to develop strategies for pressuring Russia into peace talks with Ukraine, as President Donald Trump's interest in adopting a tougher stance on Moscow waned. Established earlier in the spring and staffed by officials from the National Security Council, State Department, Treasury, Pentagon, and intelligence community, the group lost momentum by May and became irrelevant due to Trump's reluctance to escalate pressure on Russia. This dissolution followed a broad purge of National Security Council personnel, including the entire team focused on the Ukraine conflict. Despite Trump's campaign pledge to end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office, his frustration with the lack of breakthroughs has led to suggestions that the U.S. may abandon peace efforts altogether. The move has raised concerns among European allies about Trump's mixed signals, particularly ahead of a NATO summit, and his comments that excluding Russia from the G8 was a mistake. Meanwhile, Russia continues to escalate attacks on Ukrainian civilians, and the broader global security environment remains volatile with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.