Trump puts pressure on Russia to end war versus Ukraine

International

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has rolled out a new plan to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine — combining a fresh weapons initiative with a hard deadline for a peace agreement.

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said European nations will purchase American-made weapons and then transfer them to Ukraine, while the U.S. will impose heavy economic penalties if no peace deal is reached within 50 days.

“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” Trump said in a CCN report. “About 100% — you’d call them secondary tariffs.”

The plan marks a significant shift in Trump’s approach to the war, which he had kept at arm’s length since taking office in January. But his growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have pushed him toward more direct action.

Trump said he believed he had been close to a peace deal with Russia several times, but talks repeatedly fell apart.

“It just kept going on and on,” he said.

According to the White House, the proposed tariffs wouldn’t just target Russia but also countries buying its oil — such as China and India — through secondary sanctions.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker explained that while direct U.S.-Russia trade is limited, the pressure on Russia’s major trading partners could deliver a serious economic blow to Moscow.

The weapons arrangement, developed over several months following Trump’s 2024 election win, allows him to maintain his campaign promise of reducing direct U.S. military involvement abroad while still supporting Ukraine.

European countries like Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Finland are expected to play key roles in acquiring and passing on American weapons such as Patriot missile systems, Howitzers, and air-to-air missiles.

Trump emphasized that Europe is showing strong commitment to the war effort.

“When I first got involved, I really didn’t think they had much spirit,” he said. “But they do. The level of esprit de corps is amazing.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded positively to the announcement, calling it a “very good conversation” with Trump.

He said new deliveries of Patriot systems and other defensive weapons were being prepared, and reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for “real peace and real security.” He stressed, however, that it is Russia that must be forced to act.(Jeo Ckaji Siwala, HNU-Comm Intern)