US President Donald Trump told Russia on Monday to end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions, as he laid out plans for infusions of weaponry for Kyiv via NATO.
Trump said he was “very, very unhappy” with Vladimir Putin, underlining his insistence that his patience had finally snapped with the Russian leader’s refusal to end the deadly conflict.
“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The Republican added that they would be “secondary tariffs” that target Russia’s remaining trade partners — seeking to impede Moscow’s ability to survive already sweeping Western sanctions.
Russia’s top trading partner last year was China, accounting for about 34 percent, followed distantly by India, Turkey and Belarus, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.
Trump and Rutte also unveiled a deal under which the NATO military alliance would buy billions of dollars of arms from the United States — including Patriot anti-missile batteries — and send them to Ukraine.
“This is really big,” said Rutte, as he touted a deal aimed at easing Trump’s long-held complaints that the United States is paying more than European and NATO allies to aid Ukraine.
“This is really big,” said Rutte, as he touted a deal aimed at easing Trump’s long-held complaints that the United States is paying more than European and NATO allies to aid Ukraine.
Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Britain were among the buyers helping Ukraine, added the NATO chief.
“If I was Vladimir Putin today and heard you speaking… I would reconsider that I should take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously,” said Rutte.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken with Trump and was “grateful” for the arms deal.
In a BBC interview published Tuesday, Trump expressed disappointment with Putin.
“I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him,” the US president said.
When asked if he trusted the Russian leader, Trump replied: “I trust almost no one.”
– Growing frustration –
Trump attempted a rapprochement with Putin shortly after starting his second term, having campaigned on a pledge to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.
His pivot towards Putin sparked fears in Kyiv that he was about to sell out Ukraine, especially after he and his team berated Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.
But in recent weeks, Trump has shown increasing frustration with Putin, as Russian has stepped up attacks rather than halting them.
Trump said his wife Melania had helped change his thinking about Putin.
“I go home, I tell the First Lady, ‘you know, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation,’” Trump said. “And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”
He added of Putin: “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy.”
Washington has also U-turned on pausing some arms deliveries to Kyiv.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin would play a “decisive role” in the new weapons plan.
But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Trump’s sanctions deadline was too far into the future. “Fifty days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians every day,” she said.
Beijing opposed what it called attempts at “coercion”, including “all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.”
“Coercion and pressure will not solve problems,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday.
– ‘Better late than never’ –
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who are pushing a bipartisan bill on Russia secondary sanctions, praised Trump’s “powerful” ultimatum to Russia.
Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday for what Zelensky called a “productive meeting.”
One Ukrainian soldier deployed in the war-scarred east of the country, who identified himself by his call sign Grizzly, welcomed Trump’s promise of fresh air defense systems.
“Better late than never,” the 29-year-old told AFP.
Russian forces meanwhile said on Monday they had captured new territory in eastern Ukraine with the seizure of one village in the Donetsk region and another in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Its forces also killed at least three civilians in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions on Monday, Ukrainian officials said.
In Kyiv, Zelensky also proposed a major political shake-up, recommending economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko take over as prime minister, and appointing incumbent Prime Minister Denys Shmygal as defense minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday the joint US-Israeli campaign was “crushing” Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and called for Iranians to rise up and overthrow the Islamic republic.
Netanyahu spoke soon after the new Iranian ruler Mojtaba Khamenei’s first statement, in which he vowed to avenge the Iranians killed in the war so far.
“We are crushing Iran and Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said in a televised media briefing.
In wide-ranging comments on the war, Netanyahu said he was seeking to use the conflict to oust the clerical leadership in Tehran.
“I have added a third objective, which is to create, for the Iranian people, the conditions to bring down this regime,” Netanyahu said.
The other two goals remained preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and destroying its ballistic missile capabilities, he said.
The Israeli leader used his remarks to demand that Beirut rein in Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has joined Iran in launching missile strikes on Israel.
“I told the Lebanese government a few days ago — you are playing with fire if you continue allowing Hezbollah to operate, in violation of your commitment to disarm it,” he said.
“The time has come for you to do so. Now, if you do not do so, it is clear that we will do so,” he continued.
Hezbollah on Thursday said it carried out a number of attacks against Israel, including on an air defence system near the town of Caesarea, home to Netanyahu’s private residence.
Israel has threatened to target Lebanese government infrastructure if the attacks by Hezbollah persist.
Netanyahu had a personal message for Iran’s new leader, saying: “We eliminated the old tyrant, and the new tyrant, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, can’t show his face in public.”
Khamenei had earlier issued a first statement in his name that was read out by a TV presenter.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) have stated that Nigerians who wish to leave Iran are being safely escorted across the Armenia border by officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, the commission said the move was aimed at ensuring a “smooth and secure passage for those wishing to exit the country.”
“No Nigerian in Iran has been affected by the conflict so far, with government officials remaining stationed at the border to receive and assist all evacuees,” the statement said.
NIDCOM added that the federal government remains vigilant and is responding to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad.
The Commission noted that the evacuation process is being coordinated in collaboration with Armenian authorities, with Nigerian officials stationed at the border to assist citizens arriving from Iran.
Meanwhile, at least one Nigerian has been identified among the 122 people injured during the interception of Iranian ballistic missiles in the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE Ministry of Defence did not specify the number of casualties from each nationality.
It remained unclear how many Nigerians are currently in Iran or other Middle Eastern countries affected by the ongoing conflict. However, some Nigerians in Gulf states have called on the Federal Government to prepare repatriation flights for their evacuation.
Earlier, the chairperson of NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Nigeria would begin repatriating its citizens stranded in the Middle East once the airspace reopens.
The Commission has also released emergency hotlines for Nigerians in the affected areas to seek assistance.
President Donald Trump said Thursday it would be a “waste of time” currently to consider sending US ground troops into Iran, NBC News reported, dismissing the Iranian foreign minister’s warning that such a move would spell disaster for invaders.
“It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose,” he told NBC by telephone, adding that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s earlier remark that Iran was ready for a US or Israeli ground invasion was a “wasted comment.”
Trump also indicated he is keen to see Iran’s leadership structure removed and that “we want to go in and clean out everything” quickly.
