President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday, threatening sweeping tariffs unless a peace deal in Ukraine is reached within 50 days.
“We are very unhappy, I am, with Russia,” Trump said from the Oval Office, seated beside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs, if we don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent. They call them secondary tariffs,” he said.
“I’m disappointed in President Putin,” he added. “I thought we would’ve had a deal two months ago.”
“So, based on that, we’re going to be doing secondary tariffs,” he concluded. ” I hope we don’t have to do it.”
.@POTUS: "We are very, very unhappy with [Russia], and we're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days." pic.twitter.com/hQSTIng1zj
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 14, 2025
A White House official clarified to CNN that Trump was referring to 100 percent tariffs on Russia and secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil.
Trump also revealed a significant shift in his stance on arming Ukraine against Russia.
He is expected to send offensive weapons to Ukraine through NATO allies, a break from his previous position on achieving peace in Eastern Europe – something he has been working on for months, to no avail.
Two sources told Axios before Trump’s meeting with Rutte that the initiative would include long-range missiles capable of reaching Russian targets, including Moscow.
“Trump is really p***ed at Putin,” GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told Axios Sunday. “His announcement tomorrow is going to be very aggressive.”
The plan would involve U.S.-made weapons being sold to European allies, who would then supply them to Ukraine.
A person familiar with the plan told CNN it could include Patriot missile batteries, short-range missiles, Howitzer rounds, and air-to-air missiles.
Trump will charge for the weapons to ensure the U.S. does not give them away.
Axios reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed the plan at a recent NATO summit.
“Zelensky came like a normal human being, not crazy,” one official said.
The official noted Zelensky wore a suit for the first time since 2022 and “had a group of people with him that also seemed not crazy.”
Axios concluded, “Trump has grown increasingly frustrated over the last two weeks over Putin’s unwillingness to move towards a ceasefire and Russia’s escalating attacks on Kyiv and other cities.”
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