Donald Trump says he doesn’t like economic sanctions. The U.S. president has however hinted he might use that weapon to force his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and try to strike a deal on Ukraine. With the two men now planning to meet, the question is whether Trump might soften or lift altogether the measures imposed by Washington and its Western allies since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 – and tightened since Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022. That would help Moscow shore up the Russian economy and repair its military – and add to Europe’s strategic problems.