Trump Raises Pressure on 'Re Putin'... "High Tariffs if Ukraine War Doesn't End"

"Compromise Immediately and Stop the War Now"
Hints at Strong Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions if No Deal is Made

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 22nd (local time) that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire ahead of Ukraine peace negotiations, he will impose high tariffs and strong sanctions. Since taking office, he has been increasing pressure on Russia daily to end the war in Ukraine, following the Gaza ceasefire.

On the same day, President Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to "compromise immediately and stop this ridiculous war."

He said, "If we do not make a deal, there is no choice but to impose high taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on everything Russia sells to the U.S. and other participating countries," adding, "Let's end this war that would never have started if I were president."

He continued, "We can do it the easy way or the hard way, but the easy way is always better," and stated, "It is time to make a deal. No more lives should be lost."

Earlier, President Trump had pledged during his candidacy that he could end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. With Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas agreeing to a Gaza ceasefire just before Trump's inauguration, he is expected to focus on pushing for peace in Ukraine. Since the 20th, after taking office, he has been pressuring Russia daily to reach a ceasefire.

On his inauguration day, President Trump told President Putin, "You must negotiate," adding, "By not negotiating, you are destroying Russia. Look at the Russian economy and inflation." On the second day of his presidency, he hinted at additional sanctions if Russia does not come to the peace negotiation table.

The additional sanctions against Russia mentioned by President Trump are likely to target the energy sector. Former President Biden introduced a price cap on Russian crude oil, but Russia circumvented it, rendering the sanctions ineffective. Scott Bessent, the nominee for Treasury Secretary, stated during last week's congressional confirmation hearing that the Biden administration's sanctions on Russia are "excessively insufficient" and expressed full support for raising sanctions on major Russian oil companies to a level that would bring Russia to the negotiating table.

U.S. CNBC analyzed that President Trump's mention of tariffs as a sanction tool against Russia indicates his intention to deploy economic weapons against Russia similar to those he could impose on U.S. allies like Mexico and Canada if they do not comply with his will.

The U.S. political news outlet The Hill reported, "President Trump has urged ceasefire negotiations with both Russia and Ukraine over the past several months," and added, "His remarks on this day indicate an intention to maintain and expand sanctions to bring Moscow to the negotiating table."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that U.S. troops must be included in the peacekeeping forces deployed in his country after the ceasefire.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF, Davos Forum) held in Davos, Switzerland, he told Bloomberg News in an interview, "It cannot happen without the United States," stating that European allies have failed to secure troops capable of deterring Russia. He emphasized, "Even if some European friends think it is possible, it is not," and "No one will take risks without the United States."

President Zelensky also said the day before that at least 200,000 European peacekeepers would be needed to prepare for additional military threats from Russia after the ceasefire.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.