U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, demanding an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned of imposing harsh economic measures if Moscow does not agree to peace terms soon.
“Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE,” Trump declared, emphasizing that if no deal is reached, he would enact “high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.” Despite his tough stance, Trump maintained that he was “not looking to hurt Russia,” citing his historically good relationship with Putin.
Trump’s comments reflect his ongoing promise to swiftly resolve the Ukraine conflict, a promise made during his campaign to end the war “within 24 hours” before his second term even began. He suggested that peace could be achieved “the easy way, or the hard way,” urging for a deal to be made.
This statement marks a shift from Trump’s previous engagements with Putin, where he often praised the Russian leader. His administration, known for its deal-making approach as highlighted in Trump’s book “The Art of the Deal,” is reportedly considering tougher sanctions to push Putin towards negotiations.
The U.S. has already imposed significant sanctions on Russia due to the war, reducing trade to a mere trickle from $4.3 billion in 2023 to $2.9 billion in 2024 for imports like fertilizers and precious metals.
In his first White House press conference since his return, Trump hinted at potential additional sanctions if Putin does not comply, though he was ambiguous about continuing the support for Ukraine through military aid as done by the Biden administration.
Trump also mentioned upcoming talks with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin, signaling a potential summit similar to their meeting in Helsinki during his first term. He criticized Putin’s handling of the war, suggesting it was “destroying Russia,” and relayed that Zelensky expressed a desire for peace.
Putin, for his part, congratulated Trump on his re-inauguration and expressed openness to dialogue on Ukraine, hoping for a lasting peace agreement. The backdrop to these statements includes previous investigations into alleged collusion between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign, which Trump referred to as the “Russia hoax,” despite legal outcomes that did not confirm criminal cooperation.