Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) looks at U.S. President Donald Trump during the welcoming ceremony prior to the G20 Summit’s Plenary Meeting on November 30, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Mikhail Svetlov | Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to impose “high levels” of sanctions on Russia and tariffs on imports from there if the country did not reach a settlement to end its nearly three-year-old war against Ukraine.
Trump’s warning, made in a social media post on his third day as president, called out Russian President Vladimir Putin by name.
“If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better,” Trump wrote.
“It’s time to “MAKE A DEAL.” NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!”
Trump had repeatedly said that he could end the war in Ukraine in one day if he was elected to a second, nonconsecutive term in the White House. The war began in February 2022 with an invasion by Russia.
“They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours,” he said in May 2023.
That did not happen on the heels of his inauguration Monday.
But Trump’s message to Russia on Wednesday revealed his intention to deploy economic weapons against that country similar to ones he has threatened against U.S. allies such as Mexico and Canada if those nations do not bend to his will.
“I’m not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin — and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process.”
“All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!” Trump wrote.
“IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.”
Trump’s claim of Russian losses in World War II is markedly higher than expert estimates.
The National World War II Museum in New Orleans says the total number of military and civilian losses in the Soviet Union during the war was 24 million.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in December said that 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action and an additional 370,000 have been wounded.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine estimated that 198,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and more than 550,000 wounded.