Ukraine War: Trump Threatens 100% 'Secondary Tariffs' On Russia If 'No Deal' Reached Within 50 Days

United States President Donald Trump on Monday warned Russia of "very severe" tariffs if it does not resolve its ongoing war with Ukraine soon. He has given a 50 days ultimatum to Russia to reach a deal with Ukraine, failing which he would impose 100 percent "secondary tariffs".

"We're going to be doing secondary tariffs. If we don't have a deal in 50 days, it's very simple. And they'll be at 100 percent, and that's the way it is," news agency AFP quoted Trump as saying. "I use trade for a lot of things. But it's great for settling wars," he added.

He made the announcement during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

Trump Disappointed With Putin Over Delayed Ukraine Deal

The US President also expressed his disappointment with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin , saying he is "very, very unhappy' with Moscow and has announced plans to deliver "top-of-the-line" weapons to Ukraine, via Nato.

"We're very, very unhappy with them and we're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days," Trump said, adding that they would be "secondary tariffs," which would target Russia's trading partners that could isolate Moscow in the global economy.

"We spent 350 billion dollars approximately on this war with Russia and Ukraine. I would like to see it end. It was not my war, it was Biden's war. I am trying to get you out of it and I am disappointed in President Putin because I thought we would have a deal two months ago, but it doesn't seem to get there. So based on that we are going to be doing secondary tariffs if we don't have a deal within 50 days," he added.

European Allies To Buy US Weapons For Ukraine

Trump and Rutee also discussed a rejuvenated pipeline for US weapons, with the US President saying that there would be "billions and billions" of dollars of deals as European allies are planning to buy military equipment and transfer them to Ukraine.

Rutte further said the potential buyers include Germany, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. He said the shipments should make Putin "reconsider" negotiations of peace deal, AP reported.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had "productive" talks with the US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, in Kyiv today. The talks were centred around strengthening Ukrainian air defences, purchasing weapons from the US along with European countries, joint arms production, and possibility of imposing stricter international sanctions on Russia.

“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.

 

 

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