The New York Times editorial board offered praise for President Donald Trump for speaking out against Russia "tentatively."
"The West's response to Russian aggression has usually been too little, too late, and devoid of the one voice that really matters — President Trump's. But at last, his administration is taking action, and Mr. Trump has spoken out, tentatively," the board wrote Friday.
The board noted that the Treasury Department announced sanctions for Russian interference in the 2016 election, and officials have condemned the poisoning of a former Russian spy.
"It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it … something like that should never happen. We're taking it very seriously, as I think are many others," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
However, the board said more needed to be done.
"While such steps are encouraging, only a more robust, unified response from the United States and its NATO allies would impede President Vladimir Putin from expanding his pattern of heinous behavior," the board wrote.
The sanctions need to include Putin's "wealthy cronies and their families," and Putin has paid "little or no price" for his actions such as destabilizing parts of Ukraine and helping the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, the board wrote.
"He won't stop until he knows that the United States will stand up to him," the board wrote.
Another newspaper also offered praise for Trump over the sanctions. "Even baby steps deserve applause," said The San Diego Union-Tribune Friday.