President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to end the nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine or face crippling taxes, tariffs, and sanctions from the United States and allied nations.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump called for an immediate resolution to the conflict.
“Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous war! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE,” he wrote, emphasising his willingness to take drastic measures if a peace deal isn’t reached soon.
Trump threatened to impose high taxes and sanctions on Russian exports, stating, “If we don’t make a ‘deal’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and various other participating countries.”
Trump vowed to end the conflict within the early days of his administration and expressed readiness to meet with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate a resolution.
He reiterated that the war would not have started under his leadership and stressed the need to prevent further loss of life.
Trump expressed admiration for the Russian people, recalling their sacrifices during World War II, while simultaneously criticizing Putin’s handling of the war. “He’s not doing so well.
I mean, he’s grinding it out … it’s not making him look perfect,” Trump remarked, pointing to Russia’s economic struggles, including rising inflation nearing 10% and reports of 700,000 casualties among Russian forces.
Trump also noted Zelensky’s openness to a diplomatic resolution favouring Ukraine, including conditions for joining NATO.
However, Moscow has long rejected Kyiv’s admission into the alliance, a stance Trump has previously acknowledged.
In a Tuesday meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin expressed interest in negotiating with Trump, calling for direct contact with the U.S. “We hear the statements from Trump about their desire to restore direct contact with Russia… We welcome such an approach and congratulate the U.S. president-elect on taking office,” Putin said during Trump’s inauguration.
As the war rages on, Trump’s bold declarations and promises of swift action hint at a potentially transformative diplomatic effort, though the challenges of aligning Ukrainian and Russian demands remain substantial.
