Trump warns 'very severe tariffs' against Russia if Putin does not agree to ceasefire with Ukraine in 50 days

US President Donald Trump on Monday declared that he would impose tariffs on Russia if a peace deal to end the ongoing war in Ukraine is not reached within the next 50 days. The announcement was made during a meeting in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Trump showed his intent to apply economic pressure on Moscow to accelerate a resolution to the conflict. 

"We are going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days," Trump said. He did not provide specifics on how the tariffs would be implemented. "I use trade for a lot of things," he added. But



it's great for settling wars," he added. 

Meanwhile, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia 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 US Defence Secretary Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as members of Congress. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts.