U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he is ready to impose economic sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin does not agree to a ceasefire in the Ukraine war.
“It’s very serious what I have in mind, if I have to do it. But I want this war to end,” Trump told reporters. He stressed that he was talking about economic actions only. “We’re not going to get into a world war,” he said.
Donald Trump Warns of Economic War, Not World War
Trump has so far avoided sanctioning Putin directly. Instead, he is trying again to push both sides toward peace in the conflict, which has lasted more than three years. Trump is urging face-to-face talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Putin. While Zelenskiy has agreed in principle, the Kremlin has given no sign of accepting such a meeting.
“It will not be a world war, but it will be an economic war,” Trump said during a White House Cabinet meeting. “It will be very bad for Russia, and I don’t want that.” He also added that “Zelenskiy is not exactly innocent, either.”
Threats of Tariffs on Russia, Ukraine, and Even India
Meanwhile, U.S. and European officials are quietly discussing what kind of security guarantees Washington might offer Kyiv if a peace deal is reached. These could include air support or intelligence sharing.
Trump has often used trade and tariffs as pressure tools. On Wednesday, he plans to raise tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S. by 25% in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. India is one of Russia’s largest oil buyers.
Trump also hinted he could use a “very strong tariff system, very costly to Russia or Ukraine,” as leverage to push both countries toward peace.
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