The White House is working on a new round of sanctions that would be placed on Russia if President Vladimir Putin rejects the peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump. 

Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday that Washington will sanction the tankers that carry Russian oil if Putin rejects Trump’s peace plan. President Joe Biden placed sweeping sanctions on Russia’s energy sector and attempted to enforce a price cap on Moscow’s oil exports. 

The sanctions did not have their intended impact of crippling the Russian economy and forcing Putin to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has said it will not end the conflict until Ukraine agrees to neutrality, demilitarization, and to recognize the territory seized by Russian forces. 

To circumvent Western sanctions, Russia has used oil tankers that operate outside of the typical channels; the ships have been dubbed a shadow fleet by the US. 

President Donald Trump’s initial 28-point peace plan for Ukraine was leaked last month and was favourably received by Moscow. However, that plan has undergone several revisions over the past month, and has been shrunk to 20 points. 

The full details of the plan are unclear, but it includes security guarantees similar to NATO’s mutual defence pact. President Zelensky said any peace agreement must include a full Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, Russians facing a war crimes tribunal, and Moscow paying Kiev war reparations.