Trump gives Russia 50-day ultimatum for peace deal

President Donald Trump on Monday said he would target Russia with what he characterized as severe tariffs if its leader, Vladimir Putin, failed to make a peace deal with Ukraine in the next 50 days. He suggested levies could be as high as 100%. Trump described the tariffs as secondary, meaning they would be imposed on Russia’s trading partners.

The president made the comments during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The two also discussed plans to further supply weapons to Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius would meet later on Monday with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss Germany’s purchase of Patriot missile defense systems for Ukraine, Trump and Rutte said. The transfer of the missiles could occur in a few days, they said.

What other NATO members plan to buy U.S. weapons for Ukraine? Germany, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Denmark also plan to buy U.S. weapons, Rutte said. Trump said the purchases would be in the billions.

Dig deeper: Read my earlier report on NATO plans to buy weapons from the United States.