“STOP this ridiculous war!” », Launches the new strongman of the United States against the tenant of the Kremlin, on his social network Truth.
US President Donald Trump says Russia will face “high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions” if President Vladimir Putin does not end the war in Ukraine, international media report.
Mr Trump begins his message, published on his Truth Social platform, by expressing his “love” for the Russian people and his “good relations” with Mr Putin, before issuing a direct warning: “STOP this ridiculous war”, reports the BBC.
He writes: “It will only get worse. If we do not reach a “deal”, and quickly, I will have no choice but to impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions on everything sold by Russia to the United States. United States and other participating countries.
“It’s time to make a deal,” insists the billionaire president his favorite word.No more lives must be lost “, he adds.
The US president repeatedly boasted about how quickly he would end Russia’s massive invasion after coming to power, Politico recalls, while kyiv officials insisted that any peace deal would guarantee favorable conditions for Ukraine.
Since his inauguration on Monday, Mr. Trump has ramped up his rhetoric, telling reporters on Tuesday that Mr. Putin was in “big trouble” and should make a deal.
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told me he wants to make a deal, I don’t know if Putin wants it… He may not want it. I think he should make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal,” Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office on the first day of his second presidency, referring to Russia’s failing economy and to inflation.
Russia is already the most sanctioned country in the world, and very few key entities or sectors are not already subject to American and European restrictions, recalls the BBC.
Russian banks and military-industrial companies have adapted and developed workarounds to evade existing sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump for his taking office as the 47th President of the United States, welcoming his desire to resume direct dialogue between Moscow and Washington which, according to him, must be built “on a basis of equality and mutual respect”.
As for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he considered that Donald Trump is “strong and unpredictable” and these qualities may be a decisive factor in his political approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Additional sources • BBC, Politico
