On Monday, US President Donald Trump threatened Russia with broad secondary tariffs if a peace deal is not achieved within 50 days, while promising to send “top-of-the-line weapons” to Ukraine via NATO partners.
Following their meeting in Washington, President Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced a major increase in Western assistance for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s incursion.
At the joint news conference, Rutte confirmed that the United States had committed to “massively supply Ukraine with what is necessary through NATO,” and that European nations would pay for the delivery. Trump told reporters, “We want to make sure Ukraine can do what it wants to do.”
The two commanders said the package would contain ammo and missiles, but there were few details. European nations would send Patriot air defence systems, which are essential for stopping Russian airstrikes, while the US would provide replacements.
According to Trump, the weapons would be delivered to the battlefield “very quickly” and were valued at “billions of dollars.” With a nod from Trump, Rutte continued, “If I were Vladimir Putin today… I would reconsider whether I should take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously.”
Warning on Tariffs
Trump also threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs on nations that continue to trade with Russia if a ceasefire or peace deal is not struck within 50 days, another step meant to put pressure on Moscow.
If US corporations maintain their energy commerce with Russia, the legislation would make it economically unfeasible for them to import goods from countries like India. Trump stated, “This is about cutting off the financial lifelines that fuel Russia’s war machine.”
Since gas and oil account for about a third of the state income and more than 60% of Russian exports, the tariffs may seriously impair Moscow’s capacity to continue its military activities in Ukraine.
But the Russian stock market reacted in a surprising way. The Moscow Stock Exchange Index rose sharply, indicating that investors were relieved that the news was not as dire as they had feared.
Zelensky Responds
In a statement on social networking site X after the briefing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that he had a conversation with Trump.
He characterised their conversation as centred on “solutions to protect civilians from Russian attacks” and thanked the US president for his “willingness to support Ukraine.”
Zelensky went on, “We are prepared to work as effectively as we can to bring about peace.”
In addition, the Ukrainian president is welcoming US envoy Keith Kellogg to Kyiv, praising the talks as “fruitful.”
Trump Modifies His View of Putin
Trump, who has come under fire in the past for his accommodating stance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, used much harsher language in his briefing on Monday.
“He’s a tough person, but I don’t want to call him an assassin. He deceived many people, including Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Biden, as evidenced by the years, Trump claimed. “I wasn’t duped by him.”
He was annoyed by “nice phone calls” with Putin that were followed by more intense Russian bombings, claiming that this made diplomacy pointless. “Talk no longer suffices after a certain point; action is required,” he stated.
Moscow and Other Reactions
Although the US president’s comments were minimised by Russian commentators, the Kremlin did not immediately release an official statement. Sergei Markov, a former Putin assistant, called the tariff threat “a bluff” and said it demonstrated that Trump had “given up on trying to achieve peace in Ukraine.”
Konstantin Kosachev, a Russian senator, countered that the announcement did not live up to expectations. He remarked, “It’s been much ado about nothing so far if this is all Trump has said about Ukraine today.”
Different Reactions in Europe and the US
Trump’s announcement has received a range of reactions. The Democratic Party’s internal critics applauded the weapons vow but questioned its long-term feasibility and timing.
A prominent Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, described the statement as “positive, but overdue.”
“The choice to deploy Patriot missiles, enabled by our European partners’ significant investments, will protect countless Ukrainian lives from Putin’s heinous attack,” she stated. But in order to put an end to the war, she underlined the necessity of “a sustained flow of security assistance.”
The announcement sparked cautious optimism in Ukraine. Denys Podilchuk, a dentist from Kyiv, told Reuters he thought Trump’s choice was influenced by European leaders.
“I am happy that European politicians have finally persuaded him (Trump) to our side with their patience and convictions,” he remarked. “It was evident right away that he had no genuine desire to assist us.”
Prospects Are Uncertain
Moscow has blamed Kyiv for the impasse in ceasefire talks, which took place twice this year with no follow-up sessions planned.
With a 50-day deadline approaching and Trump’s most recent change in tone, analysts are now waiting to see if his new economic and military actions will force Russia to return to the bargaining table or intensify the confrontation.
