Trump sets 50-day deadline for Ukraine deal, threatens ‘very severe' tariffs on Russia
'I'm very, very unhappy with what Russia is doing. If there's no ceasefire deal in 50 days, we will impose 100% tariffs,' Trump told reporters, according to Reuters.
Trump also announced that the US would be sending new military support to Ukraine. He said the equipment will be sent to NATO, which will then deliver it to areas where it is needed. 'We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons and send them to NATO,' Trump said, as reported by the BBC. 'They will be paying for them,' he added, referring to European allies.
The president said the aid package includes billions of dollars' worth of military hardware and that it is being provided to help Ukraine maintain its defences. 'Billions of dollars of military equipment will now be distributed to Ukraine,' he said. He also praised the Ukrainian military, saying they are continuing to fight with determination but are losing equipment.
Trump recalled his conversations with Putin before the war, suggesting that the conflict might have been avoided. 'I used to speak to Putin often. I could see a war coming,' he said. 'It's all talk until missiles go into Kyiv. It has got to stop.'
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the US decision, calling it an important step. He said it means Ukraine will have access to a large number of weapons, including air defence systems and ammunition. 'This is really big,' Rutte said. 'The Europeans are stepping up, and this builds on the success of the NATO summit.'
Meanwhile, in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had 'productive' talks with US envoy Keith Kellogg. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media it is 'very important' that talks over Ukraine continue.
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