United States: US President Donald Trump has warned Russia of “very severe consequences” if President Vladimir Putin refuses to end the war in Ukraine. The warning came during remarks at the Kennedy Center in Washington, ahead of a high-stakes meeting between the two leaders scheduled for Friday.
When asked if these consequences would mean new sanctions or tariffs, Trump declined to provide details, saying, “I don’t have to say,” but stressing again they would be “very severe.”
Previous Threats and Deadline for Moscow
Trump had earlier set a deadline for Moscow to come to the negotiating table or face sanctions. That deadline passed without new measures being imposed. While sanctions could still be introduced, their impact may be limited due to the already low trade between the US and Russia, according to CNN.
Trump has also threatened secondary sanctions on nations buying Russian energy. He has already placed new levies on India, the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, but stopped short of targeting China, Russia’s largest energy customer.
European Leaders Back Ceasefire Push
Earlier, Trump joined a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
After the talks, Macron said Trump was “very clear” on two points:
- Securing a ceasefire during the Alaska summit with Putin.
- Any territorial decisions can only be made by the President of Ukraine.
Macron also revealed that Trump’s push for a ceasefire includes a proposal for a prisoner exchange and the return of Ukrainian children.
No Land for Peace, Says Zelensky
Speculation had surfaced that Trump might support “swapping territories” to end the war. However, both Kyiv and Moscow rejected this idea.
US officials said Putin offered to halt the war if Ukraine gave up significant land, including the entire Donbas region. Zelensky has firmly rejected this, warning it would allow Putin to “start a third war” in Ukraine, as reported by CNN.
Plans for a Second Meeting
Trump said if Friday’s meeting with Putin goes well, he wants to arrange a second meeting “almost immediately”, this time including both Putin and Zelensky.
He described the Alaska talks as a chance to “set the table” for more productive negotiations, saying “great things can be gained” if both sides engage.
While the first meeting will be between Trump and Putin alone, Trump stressed this was “just the opposite” of excluding Zelensky, insisting the Ukrainian leader will be part of future discussions.