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Donald Trump warned on Monday from the White House that Russia has exactly 50 days to end its war on Ukraine or face 100% secondary tariffs. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he’s had repeated phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin that always sound friendly but end up meaning nothing.

 “I speak to him a lot about getting this thing done, and I always hang up and say, ‘Well, that was a nice phone call,’” Trump said. “And then missiles launched into Kyiv or some other city, and I said, ‘Strange.’” His tone shifted sharply as he made it clear that the time for empty calls is over. “After that happens three or four times, you say, ‘The talk doesn’t mean anything.”

According to CNN, Trump had earlier set a two-week deadline for Putin to get serious. That was almost three months ago. Since then, Russia has continued bombing Ukrainian cities, including civilian targets, which led Trump to post on Truth Social:

“It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war; he’s just tapping me along.” He’s now given Moscow until early September to agree to a ceasefire or face sweeping trade penalties.

Trump says U.S. weapons going to Ukraine through NATO

At the briefing, Trump made it clear that the U.S. would continue supporting Ukraine militarily, but through NATO. He said the alliance would be responsible for both funding and distribution of weapons, not the United States directly.

The president didn’t offer further details on the kind or quantity of arms being sent, but the timing of this move shows he’s aligning with European partners while keeping pressure on Putin. “We’re going to be doing secondary tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” Trump warned. “It’s very simple, and they’ll be at 100%.”

Secondary tariffs don’t just hit Russia, they affect any other country doing business with it. Trump didn’t name specific countries, but this kind of move could impact global trade networks connected to Moscow. The announcement sent the Moscow stock exchange surging, which seems odd given the threat.

But market analysts believe investors were bracing for something even more aggressive. Reports earlier this year had hinted at the possibility of 500% tariffs, which apparently didn’t happen. So for now, traders are reacting to the lower-than-expected number, even if it’s still painful.

Trump was also asked how far he would go if Putin escalated further. “Don’t ask me a question like that,” he snapped. But he followed it up by saying, “I want to get the war settled.” He added that Russia should stop the war and start rebuilding its economy instead. “They’ve got to get their economy back on track,” Trump said. “Russia has tremendous potential.” He insisted that the country should be using its resources for trade, not destruction.

Trump responds to sanctions bill but keeps distance

Trump also commented on a sanctions bill currently being discussed in Congress that would add harsher penalties on Russia. He said it could be helpful but stayed noncommittal. “I’m not sure we need it, but it’s good that they’re doing it,” he said.

A few seconds later, Trump added, “I don’t want them to waste their time.” Trump left the door open, saying the bill “could be very useful, we’ll have to see.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected at the White House for a meeting, and a Senate vote on the bill is not scheduled until next week.

During his exchange with reporters, Trump also repeated that his conversations with Putin continue, but haven’t changed anything. “I speak to him a lot,” Trump said. “The conversations are always very pleasant, but the talk doesn’t mean anything once missiles hit cities.” He didn’t mention any upcoming negotiations, nor did he confirm whether Putin had responded to the new 50-day deadline.

With Putin still pushing his campaign in Ukraine and Trump now threatening full-scale trade retaliation, all eyes will be on whether Russia changes course or keeps going. If no deal is reached, and the tariffs kick in, they’ll slam Russia’s already-struggling economy and shake up global trade with every country still doing business with Moscow.

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