Information
New US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, demanding an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump threatened to impose high levels of tariffs and sanctions on Russia if a deal is not reached soon. He emphasized that the war, which he believes would not have started if he were president, must end to prevent further loss of lives. Trump has claimed he could end the conflict within 24 hours by negotiating with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though he has not provided specific details on his proposed solution.
In response, Russian officials have expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue but are seeking clarity on what Trump means by a “deal.” Dmitry Polyanskiy, Moscow’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, highlighted the need to address the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that Trump’s approach is not new, as he had previously used sanctions against Russia during his first term. Despite the threats, Russia remains open to mutually respectful negotiations, with a phone call between Trump and Putin expected soon. People’s faith in Trump getting a peace deal has significantly dropped, according to Polymarket, falling from a peak of over 50% in November to 33% today for the odds of Trump ending the Ukraine war in the first 90 days.
Source: AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, @Polymarket
So what
Unsurprisingly, bringing an end to the Ukraine war is more complicated than Trump made it out to be on the campaign trail. Currently, it seems unlikely that there will be a peace agreement in the near future due to the lack of leverage against Russia. However, it is likely that Trump will be true to his word and attempt to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions and other financial levers.
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