President Donald Trump has given Russia ten days to show progress on ending its war in Ukraine or face tough US tariffs.
He told reporters aboard Air Force One that there had been no response yet from Moscow, and said the time for waiting was over. Trump warned that if nothing changes, new trade measures will be rolled out soon.
Trump first announced on Monday that he was shortening the original 50-day deadline he set a month ago for action from Moscow, mentioning a new deadline of 10 to 12 days. On Tuesday, he told reporters he had not heard any response from Russia.
Trump said he was not concerned about the potential impact of Russian sanctions on the oil market or prices, pledging to increase domestic oil production to offset any effects.
“I don’t know if it’s going to affect Russia, because (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to, obviously, probably keep the war going,” Trump said. “But we’re going to put on tariffs and the various things that you put on.”
The US president, who has in the past spoken about having a good relationship with Putin, has grown increasingly frustrated with Moscow’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. The fresh deadline suggests Trump is now ready to act on his threat of sanctions, after previously hesitating.
Speaking in Scotland on Monday, he threatened sanctions on both Russia and countries that continue to buy its exports – also known as secondary sanctions – unless progress is made.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters he had raised the issue of secondary sanctions with Chinese officials during two days of bilateral talks this week.
He said he warned Chinese officials that Beijing could face steep tariffs if it continued purchasing Russian oil.
In a post on X, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Putin, said Trump was playing “a game of ultimatums” that could lead to a war involving the United States.
Trump, who is also facing pressure to secure a peace deal in Gaza, has promoted his role in resolving past conflicts between India and Pakistan, as well as Rwanda and Congo. Before returning to the White House in January, Trump had campaigned on a pledge to end the Russia-Ukraine war in a single day.
