President Donald Trump on Monday cut his deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine to less than two weeks. If no agreement is reached, Trump warned of “massive secondary tariffs” targeting Moscow’s trade partners.
Previously, Trump had set a 50-day deadline, scheduled to expire in early September. However, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, Trump said he was disappointed by the lack of progress.
New Deadline and Sanctions Ahead
“I’m going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today,” Trump said. He indicated that formal announcements regarding the revised deadline and associated sanctions would come “tonight or tomorrow.”
Trump emphasized the urgency of the situation: “But there’s no reason to wait. If you know what the answer is going to be, why wait?”
Frustration Over Ukraine Conflict
Trump reflected on his interactions with Putin, noting they “got along very well” before the conflict escalated. He condemned the Russian strikes on Kyiv, particularly those affecting vulnerable populations such as nursing home residents.
“I would have said five times we had a deal,” Trump lamented.
Earlier, when he imposed the 50-day deadline on July 14, Trump warned that buyers of Russian exports would face tariffs “at about 100%” if a ceasefire wasn’t achieved.
Though once cautious about criticizing Putin, Trump has grown increasingly vocal in recent months as the war in Ukraine has intensified.
Author’s Opinion
Trump’s decision to shorten the deadline and ramp up sanctions signals a tougher stance on Russia, reflecting mounting frustration with stalled peace talks. While economic pressure can be an effective diplomatic tool, imposing harsher deadlines without clear pathways to negotiation risks escalating tensions further. The balance between deterrence and diplomacy remains delicate, and unilateral deadlines may complicate achieving lasting peace.
Featured image credit: Heute
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