Trump Warns of ‘Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions’ on Russia Unless Ukraine War Ends
Former President Calls for a Peace Deal to Prevent Further Loss of Life
Former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a warning on Wednesday, threatening Russia with severe economic measures if President Vladimir Putin does not bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump declared, “It’s time to ‘MAKE A DEAL.’ NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST.”
The statement follows Trump’s unfulfilled campaign pledge to end the war within 24 hours of assuming office.
Despite his long-standing assertion of a “good relationship” with Putin and expressing his “love” for the Russian people, Trump urged an immediate cessation of hostilities, calling the conflict “ridiculous.”
In his post, Trump cautioned, “IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don’t make a ‘deal’ soon, I will have no choice but to impose high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on all Russian goods sold to the United States and various other participating countries.”
Russia is already the most heavily sanctioned country in the world, with limited avenues for further economic pressure. However, Russian banks and defense industries have managed to adjust, employing strategies to counteract existing Western restrictions.
Reacting to Trump’s statement, Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said Moscow would need clarity on what Trump means by a “deal.”
Polyanskiy also emphasized that resolving the conflict requires addressing its root causes, which he attributed to U.S. policies in Ukraine since 2014. “Trump is not responsible for the past actions that made Ukraine ‘anti-Russia,’ but it is in his power now to stop this malicious policy,” he remarked.
Trump’s threat signals a potential hardline economic stance aimed at forcing negotiations, though the effectiveness of additional sanctions on an already heavily sanctioned Russian economy remains uncertain.