Donald Trump took ‘another step towards a war with Russia’ after issuing Vladimir Putin a renewed deadline to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The US president rattled the Kremlin further by giving a cut-off of 10 to 12 days, meaning that he wants peace efforts to make progress by August 7 to 9.
Otherwise, he threatened to implement ‘very severe tariffs’ on both Russia and buyers – but he stressed that he did not want to do that to the Russian people because he ‘loves’ them.
The Republican told reporters in Scotland during a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer: ‘There’s no reason to wait. If you know what the answer is going to be, why wait?
‘And it would be sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs… We just do not see any progress being made.’
There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin – but 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 US.’
He wrote on X: ‘Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10…
‘He should remember two things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.
‘Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!’
Trump indicated he was not interested in more talks with Putin, adding that sanctions and tariffs would be used as penalties for Russia if it did not meet his demands.
He added: ‘I am disappointed in president Putin. I am going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what’s going to happen.’
Timeline of Trump’s ‘peacemaking’ in Ukraine
Even before entering his second term in the White House, Trump had vowed to put an end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Boasting of his ‘very good relationship’ with the Russian president was part of his campaign – and in fact, peace in ’24 hours’ was one of his election pledges – a directsneer at Joe Biden’s failed attempts.
January 20: Trump is inaugurated after promising to end the war
February 12: First call between Trump and Putin as part of renewed diplomatic relationship between the two superpowers
February 18: US and Russian officials meet in Saudi Arabia for peace talks; Ukraine is excluded.
February 28: Trump and vice president JD Vance berate Volodymyr Zelensky is disastrous meeting in the White House
March 11: Ukraine accepts a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US.
March 13-25: US and Russian officials hold multiple unfruitful talks in Moscow and Riyadh
March 30: Trump says he is ‘pissed off’ with Putin and threatens Russia with tariffs for the first time
April 18: US threatens to withdraw from negotiations if progress is not made
April 28: Putin announces a plan for three-day ceasefire with Ukraine
April 30: US and Ukraine sign an economic partnership known as the rare earth minerals deal after pressure from Trump
May 16: Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine take place in Istanbul, without an agreement for a ceasefire
May 28: Trump sets a two-week deadline to assess if Putin is serious about peace negotiations
June 2: Russia and Ukraine delegations have another set of direct talks in Istanbul
July 14: Trump gives Russia a new 50-day deadline to reach a peace deal with Ukraine