Despite asserting he wants no harm to come to Moscow, Trump argued that Russia is “destroying itself” and that any delay in reaching a settlement would only worsen the conflict.
In a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump opened by professing admiration for the Russian people and referencing the nation’s sacrifices in World War II.
Trump’s comments followed remarks earlier in the week that Russia is “likely” to face further sanctions should President Vladimir Putin refuse to come to the table. He also said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is ready to talk, but it’s unclear if Putin wishes to do the same. Trump added that he is prepared to speak with the Kremlin “as soon as Putin wants to.”
Minimal Russian imports
Though Trump threatened to impose tariffs on “anything” Russia sells to the U.S. and “various other participating countries,” trade volumes between Washington and Moscow are already limited. The U.S. enforces an embargo on Russian raw materials, including oil, aluminum, gold, diamonds, nickel, and certain other metals—as well as uranium—following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago.
Trump’s pledge to end the war swiftly aligns with statements made before and after he took office. Nevertheless, details of any proposed “deal” remain scarce, and it remains unclear how soon—or whether—Putin might respond to Trump’s ultimatum.
(jh)
Source: IAR, PAP, RMF24