Trump ex-Treasury chief advocates for tougher sanctions on Russia, Iran

This was stated by Steve Mnuchin, who served as the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury during Donald Trump's first presidential term, in an interview with Reuters, as reported by Ukrinform.

Mnuchin emphasized that he will not seek to join the president-elect's new administration but is ready to offer advice to his successor, including on how to strengthen sanctions on Iran and Russia

According to Mnuchin, the current sanctions imposed on Russia due to its war in Ukraine have been more about making headlines than achieving real effectiveness.

Read also: Kremlin sees "positive signals" in Trump's stance on Ukraine

"Russia is selling plenty of oil and gas," Mnuchin noted, highlighting the need for more impactful measures.

Mnuchin also suggested that to counteract the reduced supply of oil and gas from Russia and Iran due to sanctions, the U.S. and other Middle East countries should increase their production. This would help stabilize global energy prices and offset supply shortages.

As reported earlier by Ukrinform, President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will not be inviting former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to join his new administration.