Trump Warns Russia of Tariffs Unless Ukraine War Ends in 50 Days

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued a stark ultimatum to Russia, warning of severe tariffs unless a peace deal is reached to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days. The announcement came during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” President Trump said, indicating that the sanctions would be “secondary tariffs” aimed at isolating Russia by targeting its trading partners. “I use trade for a lot of things,” he added. “But it’s great for settling wars.”

The meeting also focused on accelerating Western military support for Ukraine. European allies, including Germany, the UK, Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, are expected to purchase U.S. weapons and transfer them to Ukraine as part of a revamped arms pipeline.

Rutte emphasized urgency, saying, “Speed is of the essence here.” He expressed hope that the arms deliveries would pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider peace talks more seriously.

Trump, who has long touted his rapport with Putin, had previously accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of dragging out the conflict and referred to him as a “dictator without elections.” However, continued Russian strikes on civilian areas, especially in Kyiv, appear to have shifted Trump’s stance.

In April, Trump publicly urged Putin to halt attacks, and in May described the Russian president as having “gone absolutely CRAZY” over the relentless bombings. “Every night, people are dying,” he reiterated on Monday.

Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, met with President Zelensky in Kyiv. Zelensky described the meeting as “productive,” highlighting discussions on bolstering air defences, co-producing arms, and implementing tighter 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,” Zelensky said on Telegram.

Russian forces have dramatically escalated their aerial assaults, with June recording the highest civilian casualties in three years — 232 killed and 1,343 injured, according to the UN. Russia also launched 10 times more drones and missiles last month compared to June 2024.

To help counter these attacks, Trump confirmed the U.S. would send more Patriot air defence missile systems to Ukraine, with European countries financing the purchases. While the European Union cannot buy arms collectively under its treaties, individual member nations can and are contributing.

Germany has already donated three of its six Patriot systems to Ukraine and has offered to finance two more. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is currently in Washington to discuss further cooperation with U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said on Sunday that U.S. weapons will soon be delivered to Ukraine at “record levels.” Once skeptical of aiding Ukraine, Trump is now reportedly growing more invested in supporting Ukraine’s resistance. “One of the biggest miscalculations Putin has made is to play Trump,” Graham told CBS' Face the Nation.

However, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev dismissed Western efforts to pressure Moscow, insisting that constructive dialogue remains the only viable path forward. “This dialogue will continue, despite titanic efforts to disrupt it by all possible means,” he said on Telegram.

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