Trump’s ultimatum to Putin: Ceasefire in 50 days or else
President Trump is seeking to pressure Russia’s leader to the negotiating table through a combination of arming Ukraine and threatening 100 percent tariffs on countries that trade with Russia.
Trump made the announcement during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office Monday morning.
It marks a potential turning point for a president who had wanted to pull U.S. support from Ukraine and has repeatedly demonstrated favorable treatment to Putin despite Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.
“We’re very, very unhappy with [Russia], and we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in about 50 days,” Trump said, after teasing a major announcement.
Trump and Rutte also officially announced a weapons deal in which NATO countries would foot the bill for U.S. arms shipments to Ukraine, though details on the provisions remain vague.
“It’s everything. It’s Patriots. It’s all of them. It’s a full complement with the batteries,” Trump said, adding that the batteries could arrive in Ukraine within days.
Ukraine is desperate for increased air defenses as Putin has ramped up aerial attacks on its cities in recent months.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump’s envoy retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg earlier in the day and said he spoke with Trump and Rutte later on.
“Agreed to call more often and coordinate our steps further. Thank you, Mr. President! Thank you America!” Zelensky wrote on Facebook.
There’s no sign that Trump is seeking to send offensive weapons that would allow Ukraine to strike further into Russia, which Ukraine hawks say may be necessary to move Putin off his maximalist war demands.
Former NATO chief and retired Navy Adm. James Stavridis told CNN on Monday he would like to see Ukraine given harpoon missiles,surface-to-surface weapons and F-16 aircraft.
“I think that is what could move Putin to the negotiating table, which is what we want on our side,” he said.
Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Colin Meyn — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.
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