LONDON – US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine, setting a new deadline of 10 to 12 days for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire before secondary sanctions are introduced on its trading partners.
In a surprise announcement, President Trump stated that he would enforce severe tariffs on Moscow and its trading partners if it did not agree to end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The move drew a furious response from the Kremlin, with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev posting on X, “Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.
Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with (Trump’s) own country.”
President Trump expressed disappointment in his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and stated that he would confirm the exact timeline for the ceasefire deadline within the next 24 hours.
The announcement was welcomed in Kyiv, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s top aide, Andriy Yermak, posting on social media, “When America leads with strength, others think twice.”
The proposed sanctions would penalize countries that do business with Moscow, including China, which is Russia’s largest trading partner.
This could reignite a trade war between Beijing and Washington that began after the Trump administration took office in January.
Fighting remains intense on the front lines in Ukraine, with Russia’s defense ministry claiming to have captured two settlements in the country’s east.
Aerial attacks on Ukraine’s major cities, including Kyiv, have also escalated.
President Trump has previously declared that he and President Putin have had a good relationship, but his rhetoric about his Russian counterpart has steadily deteriorated.
Residents of Ukraine are urged to remain vigilant and follow official instructions from local authorities.