US President Donald Trump said that Washington is ready to impose 100% ‘secondary tariffs’ against Russia and its trading partners if a peace agreement is not reached within 50 days.
He said this during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.
‘We are very, very unhappy with Russia. And if we don’t reach an agreement in 50 days, we will impose very severe tariffs — about 100%,’ Trump said, adding that these are ‘secondary tariffs’ that will also apply to Russia’s partners.
He stressed that he wants to stop Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, but is disappointed with Putin: ‘I thought we would reach an agreement two months ago, but it looks like that won’t happen.’
Trump also said that 17 Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems are being prepared for shipment to Europe. According to him, ‘a significant part of them will end up on the battlefield in Ukraine.’
Trump also said that the United States will continue to supply weapons to Kyiv, but the lion’s share of the funding will fall on the shoulders of European allies, while the United States will provide the production base.
‘We make the best equipment, the best missiles, the best of everything, European countries know this, and today we have signed an agreement under which we will supply them with weapons, and they (NATO) will pay for them,’ he said.
Rutte, in turn, said that Ukraine would receive ‘a huge amount of military equipment.’
‘This will mean that Ukraine will be able to receive a truly enormous amount of military equipment, both for air defence and missiles and ammunition,’ he said.