'Ukraine Ceasefire In 50 Days Or Face 100% Tariff': Trump's Ultimatum To Russia

Washington: US President Donald Trump has sent a final ultimatum warning that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on Russia if Moscow and Kyiv fail to reach a ceasefire deal within 50 days. Trump's declaration was made during his joint appearance at the White House with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, amidst ongoing diplomatic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. 

After adopting a conciliatory approach towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump's warning served as a shift in tone towards Russia. The US President had been expressing his frustration with the Russian leader's stance on US-led peace efforts over the conflict with Ukraine. Trump criticised Putin for saying one thing and doing another, specifically pointing at the Russian leader's alleged decision to bomb civilians at night despite his words of peace. Given Trump's previous admiration for Putin, his change in rhetoric has been marked as a notable development. 

Trump's Support For Ukraine

Amid Trump's stance of growing criticism for Putin, he has adopted a softer stance towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After a bitter public spat in the Oval Office in February, the US President has since shown support for Ukraine, announcing plans to send Patriot air defence missiles to Kyiv. 

The move is part of a larger package of military equipment worth billions of dollars, which will be purchased from the United States and distributed to the battlefield. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has also promised that Ukraine will receive massive numbers of weapons under the NATO-US agreement.

Earlier, Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv to meet with Zelenskyy, discussing ways to strengthen Ukraine's air defence and joint production of defence weapons with Europe. The Ukrainian President hailed the meeting as productive, emphasising the importance of continued diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

Meanwhile, despite international pressure, Russian forces have continued to make gains in eastern Ukraine, capturing two villages in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Three civilians were also killed in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

In the meantime, the analysts have called Trump's threat to impose tariffs on Russia as his willingness to use economic measures to settle the Ukraine-Russia conflict.