U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose massive tariffs and sanctions on Russian goods unless Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump warned Putin: “Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.” Trump stated that if no deal is reached soon, he would have no choice but to impose high taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on Russian exports to the United States.
“We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better,” Trump added.
The threat comes after Trump, who began his second term as president earlier this week, ramped up his rhetoric against Putin. On Tuesday, he told reporters that Putin was in “big trouble” and should negotiate a peace agreement. Trump also noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had expressed a desire for a deal, though he was uncertain if Putin would be open to talks.
Trump also stated that Russia’s economy was suffering due to the ongoing conflict, which began in February 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He remarked that Putin’s failure to quickly capture Kyiv and other major cities had led to a prolonged war, which Trump described as damaging to Russia’s reputation.
“He’s grinding it out. Most people thought it would last about one week, and now you’re into three years,” Trump said. “It is not making him look good.”
Earlier, Trump claimed a meeting with Putin was being arranged, although Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied any substantial preparations were underway.
Ukraine is hopeful that Trump’s leadership can bring an end to the conflict, with Zelenskyy telling reporters that Trump, as a businessman, knows how to apply pressure.
