US President Donald Trump has set a new deadline of 10 or 12 days for Russia to end its war in Ukraine, underscoring his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for prolonging the conflict. Speaking in Scotland, where he is holding meetings with European leaders and playing golf, Trump said he was disappointed in Putin and shortened a 50-day deadline he had set this month.
“I’m going to make a new deadline of about … 10 or 12 days from today,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “There’s no reason in waiting. … We just don’t see any progress being made.” There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.
The US president has repeatedly voiced exasperation with Putin for continuing attacks on Ukraine despite US efforts to end the war and has threatened both sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made. Before returning for a second term in the White House in January, Trump, who views himself as a peacemaker, had promised to end the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict within 24 hours.
“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,” Trump said. “I don’t want to do that to Russia. I love the Russian people.” However, Trump has not always followed up on his tough talk about Putin with action, citing what he deems a good relationship that the two men have had previously.
“We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever,” Trump said. “And I say that’s not the way to do it.” Trump’s deadline comes amid ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides suffering significant losses.
Trump’s threat of tariffs on Russia and buyers of its exports could potentially force Putin into a Ukraine peace deal. However, it remains to be seen whether Trump will follow through on his tough talk about Putin. The US president’s approach to foreign policy has been characterized by a mix of diplomacy and pressure, with varying degrees of success.
As the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold, one thing is certain: the international community will be watching closely to see how Trump’s administration navigates this complex and challenging situation. With the deadline set by Trump, the next few days will be crucial in determining the course of the conflict and the potential for a peaceful resolution.