US President Donald Trump says he’s ready to impose high tariffs on Russia if it doesn’t agree to a peace deal, aiming to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine.
US-Russia Relations and Ukraine Conflict
Donald Trump stated that the US is prepared to impose very high tariffs on Russia to prevent further bloodshed in Ukraine. He emphasized that European nations must join in and adopt the same measures for them to be effective.
Trump also mentioned that he had hoped to stop the killing in Ukraine, believing it would be one of the seven wars he could prevent, given his good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
European Response and Sanctions
European countries continue to buy energy from Russia while fighting against it, which Trump criticized, urging them to immediately stop all energy purchases from Russia.
The European Commission has presented a new package of sanctions against Russia, targeting the energy sector and including a ban on importing LNG from Russia.
Diplomatic Efforts and Challenges
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that President Putin is ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but only if the meeting has a concrete agenda.
Zelensky has expressed frustration that Russia is trying to prevent any meetings, emphasizing the need for strong sanctions if Russia doesn’t agree to a diplomatic solution.