President Donald Trump has threatened ‘devastating’ consequences for Russia if Vladimir Putin does not agree to a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine.
Trump issued the ultimatum while discussing his team’s efforts to bring an end to the brutal conflict, which he said could lead to World War III.
When asked what the U.S. could do to pressure Russia into peace, he said: ‘There are things that wouldn’t be pleasant in a financial sense. I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace.’
Trump added: ‘In a financial sense, yes, we could do things that would be very bad for Russia, that would be devastating for Russia. But I don’t want to do that.’
He spoke after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz announced that Ukraine had agreed to a 30-day ceasefire – if Russia also agrees.
Trump first issued a trade threat against Russia days ago online.
It was a notable change from his previous posture of praising Putin as smart, or even expressing appreciation for the Russian position.
Two weeks ago, he held an angry Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The U.S. has already imposed a series of economic sanctions on Russia, and Russian oligarchs, after the country seized Crimea in 2014 and then launched a full scale invasion in 2022.
Now, the fate of a potential ceasefire is in Russia’s hands, and Trump is turning up the economic heat on the aggressor.
‘There are things that wouldn’t be pleasant in a financial sense. I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia,’ Trump said, when question about what he can do if Russia won’t agree to a ceasefire amid its three-year war on Ukraine
He pointed to upcoming talks for which his envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling to Moscow.
Trump then turned to J.D. Vance, making fun of his shamrock socks while meeting with the Irish Taoiseach in the Oval Office.
The president then said: ‘So we have people going over there (to Moscow). Mr. VP, you have anything to say about this? Because you’re very much involved.
Vance said: ‘We’ve got some conversations that are happening on the phone and in person with some of our representatives over the next couple of days.
‘As the President said, we think we’re in a very good place where the Ukrainians have agreed with ceasefire, and we’re going to see whether we can get the Russians to agree to a ceasefire too.’
Trump invited JD Vance to speak, during a meeting where he made fun of his shamrock socks
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz announced the breakthrough after their meeting with Ukrainian officials
Russian President Vladimir Putin now must decide whether to take the temporary ceasefire after achieving battlefield gains, even while hemorrhaging fighters
Trump issued the threat after being asked if there was anything he could do to pressure Russia into accepting the US-brokered ceasefire. He was meeting with Taoiseach Micheal Martin before a St. Patrick’s Day reception
Trump got asked if Putin would honor a cease fire, having broken them in the past.
‘We haven’t spoken to him yet with substance, because we just found out. We’re going to know very soon. I’ve gotten some positive messages, but a positive message means nothing. Very serious situation. This is a situation that could lead to World War III.’
On Tuesday after talks in Saudi Arabia Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia as the U.S. announced a lifting of the pause on military aid and intelligence sharing to the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said afterward that the ball is now in Russia’s court.
‘We´re going to tell them this is what’s on the table. Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. And now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no,’ Rubio said.
Putin in the past has ruled out a short-term truce as benefitting Ukraine. ‘As for the settlement of the situation, I would like to emphasize that it shouldn´t be aimed at a brief truce – some sort of a break for regrouping troops and rearmament in order to continue the conflict – but a long-term peace,’ he has said.
But now Russia risks alienating the U.S. by rejecting the offer at a time when Trump has taken multiple steps to put U.S.-Russia relations on a better footing – even while going after NATO allies and launching a series of trade wars with traditional partners.
Trump raised the issue of slapping sanctions on Russia March 7, after the U.S. paused security aide for Ukraine as well as vital intelligence sharing following the spat with Zelensky.
‘Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely “pounding” Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
‘To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!’
Russia has continued to hammer Ukrainian cities and civilian areas through missile and drone attacks, while Ukraine launched its largest yet drone attack on Moscow hours before talks began in Jeddah.