US president’s comments come after Ukrainian counterpart said he believed ‘strong steps’ were under consideration

Donald Trump has suggested he could target Russia financially as Ukraine’s president urged him to take strong steps if Moscow failed to support a 30-day ceasefire agreed at a meeting between Ukrainian and US delegations in Saudi Arabia.

The president’s threat came as the French defence minister, Sébastien Lecornu, told a press conference in Paris that a ceasefire announcement could come as soon as Thursday and that Europe would have to be prepared to help enforce it.