WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to punish Russia with 100% tariffs if a deal to end the war in Ukraine isn’t reached within 50 days.
“I’m disappointed in President Putin because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but it doesn’t seem to be getting there,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days.”
He said they would be “secondary tariffs,” meaning they would target Russia’s trading partners in an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy.
“I use trade for a lot of things,” he added. “But it’s great for settling wars.”
When asked about the 50-day deadline, Trump called it a “very short period of time,” noting that he hasn’t been involved in the conflict for long.
“This is a Democrat war, not a Republican one,” he said. “I think you’re going to see strong movement — I hope so. Secondary tariffs are very, very powerful.”
US providing more weapons to Ukraine
Trump has expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s firm stance on U.S.-led peace efforts in the war in Ukraine.
The U.S. is set to deliver more defense missiles to Ukraine to help it fend off Russia’s intensifying aerial attacks. On Sunday, Trump announced plans to sell weapons to NATO members that can then be provided to Ukraine, adding that the European Union is paying for it.
“We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons, and they’re going to be paying for them,” Trump said Monday.
Trump also said weapons would be sent to Ukraine “within days,” and mentioned that some countries with Patriot missile systems are preparing to transfer them.
“We have one country with 17 Patriots ready to ship. They’re not going to need them, so we’re working a deal to send most of those to the war zone,” Trump said.
Trump envoy in Kyiv
Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday, as anticipation grew over a possible shift in the Trump administration’s policy on the three-year war.
Rutte also planned to hold talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as members of Congress.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.