Trump Vows Tariffs on Russia If Ukraine war Isn’t Resolved in 50 Days/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump warned Russia he’ll impose severe tariffs if a peace deal isn’t reached in Ukraine within 50 days, signaling deepening frustration with Putin. His administration is accelerating arms shipments to Ukraine through European allies. The ultimatum escalates U.S. pressure amid the prolonged conflict.
Trump’s Russia Tariff Threat Quick Looks
- Trump threatens tariffs if Russia stalls Ukraine peace
- 50-day deadline set for Ukraine war resolution
- Trump suggests “secondary tariffs” hitting Russian partners
- U.S. sending Patriot missiles, with EU nations funding purchases
- NATO Secretary-General Rutte urges rapid aid for Ukraine
- Russian strikes leave Ukraine facing record casualties in June
- Sen. Lindsey Graham predicts surge in U.S. weapons aid
- Trump’s envoy Kellogg meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv for talks
- Kremlin ally Dmitriev dismisses pressure tactics as futile
- Trump expresses exasperation with Putin’s continued aggression
Deep Look
Trump Threatens Steep Tariffs On Russia If Ukraine War Drags Beyond 50 Days, Escalating Pressure On Putin
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued his starkest warning yet to Russia on Monday, threatening to impose sweeping tariffs if Moscow does not agree to end the war in Ukraine within the next 50 days. The threat underscores Trump’s growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and signals a significant escalation in the U.S. approach to the nearly three-year-old conflict.
Speaking during a high-profile Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said his administration would impose “very severe tariffs” unless a peace agreement is reached swiftly.
“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” Trump declared. “I use trade for a lot of things. But it’s great for settling wars.”
Trump clarified that the proposed measures would include “secondary tariffs,” which would not only target Russian exports directly but also penalize Russia’s trading partners to further isolate Moscow economically.
Weapons Pipeline Expands
The meeting with Rutte also underscored the West’s growing efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defenses. Trump and Rutte discussed a rapidly expanding pipeline of U.S. weapons that European allies will purchase and transfer to Ukrainian forces. Trump described the scale of purchases as “billions and billions” of dollars.
Rutte emphasized urgency, saying nations like Germany, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Denmark would participate in the military buildup. “Speed is of the essence here,” Rutte said, adding that fresh shipments might force Putin to “reconsider” peace negotiations.
Trump’s Frustration Mounts
Trump has long touted his personal relationship with Putin, frequently boasting during his presidency that he could strike a deal with Moscow where others could not. However, Russia’s unrelenting bombardment of civilian areas in Ukraine has strained his patience.
“It just keeps going on and on and on,” Trump said on Monday. “Every night, people are dying.”
Earlier this year, Trump publicly implored Putin to “STOP!” attacks on Kyiv and, in May, posted on social media that Putin “has gone absolutely CRAZY” as the Russian military continued missile and drone assaults.
While Trump has previously accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of prolonging the war and even labeled him a “dictator without elections,” he appears increasingly convinced that Putin bears primary responsibility for the war’s persistence.
Envoy Meets Zelenskyy
Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv on Monday to meet with Zelenskyy. Their discussions centered on expanding Ukraine’s air defenses, joint weapons production, and additional purchases of U.S. arms in coordination with European countries. They also addressed potential new international sanctions aimed at tightening pressure on the Kremlin.
“We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ambitions are stopped by force,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.
Patriot Missiles On The Way
Russia’s aggressive campaign has devastated Ukrainian cities, especially Kyiv, with waves of missile and drone strikes. According to the United Nations, June saw the highest civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 Ukrainians killed and over 1,340 wounded. Russia reportedly launched ten times more missiles and drones in June than during the same period last year.
In response, Trump confirmed the U.S. would send additional Patriot missile systems to bolster Ukraine’s struggling air defenses. The European Union cannot directly purchase weapons under its treaties, but individual member states can — and many are stepping up.
Germany announced plans to finance two more Patriot systems for Ukraine, on top of three it has already donated, leaving the German military with just six remaining units.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius traveled to Washington on Monday to discuss the growing military collaboration with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Weapons Surge Predicted
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally, said on Sunday that the conflict is at a critical juncture. He predicted an unprecedented surge in U.S. weapons support for Ukraine.
“In the coming days, you’ll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves,” Graham told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He added, “One of the biggest miscalculations Putin has made is to play Trump.”
Kremlin Reaction
Kremlin ally Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy for international investment, dismissed Trump’s threat as counterproductive. Dmitriev, who participated in February negotiations with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia, insisted that dialogue remains the only path forward.
“Constructive dialogue between Russia and the United States is more effective than doomed-to-fail attempts at pressure,” Dmitriev posted on Telegram. “This dialogue will continue, despite titanic efforts to disrupt it by all possible means.”
A High-Stakes Countdown
Trump’s 50-day deadline injects new urgency into the conflict’s diplomatic track, leaving global markets and world leaders waiting to see whether Moscow will come to the table—or face a crippling new wave of economic isolation.
As the countdown begins, both the White House and NATO allies are betting that escalating economic threats, combined with a torrent of new weapons for Ukraine, might finally convince Putin to halt his bloody campaign.
