U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Russia with ‘devastating’ economic measures if Moscow rejects U.S. plans for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
U.S. officials are already on their way to Moscow, Trump said, just hours after Ukraine’s government agreed to the proposal to a 30-day pause in fighting on all fronts.
During a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, Trump told reporters that he had “people going to Russia right now, as we speak,” adding that “hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” the Guardian newspaper reported.
Media reports suggest that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who last month met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, is due to travel to the Russian capital for talks this week.
However, Trump warned the Kremlin that the U.S. would retaliate with economic measures if the peace plan agreed with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia was rejected.
“In a financial sense… we could do things that would be very bad for Russia, that would be devastating for Russia,” Trump said, quoted by Mail Online.
He said he hoped such measures would not be necessary: “I don't want to do that because I want to get peace.”
Senior politicians from the U.S., Ukraine and elsewhere have emphasized that it is now up to Russia to show it is ready for peace, after Kyiv agreed to America’s ceasefire plan during hours of talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had been promised that Trump would introduce “strong measures against the Russian side” if the Kremlin rejected a truce.
“I don’t know the details yet, but we are talking about sanctions and strengthening Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he strongly hopes that “the U.S. will follow through on what it has promised.”
During a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, Trump told reporters that he had “people going to Russia right now, as we speak,” adding that “hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” the Guardian newspaper reported.
Media reports suggest that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who last month met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, is due to travel to the Russian capital for talks this week.
However, Trump warned the Kremlin that the U.S. would retaliate with economic measures if the peace plan agreed with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia was rejected.
“In a financial sense… we could do things that would be very bad for Russia, that would be devastating for Russia,” Trump said, quoted by Mail Online.
He said he hoped such measures would not be necessary: “I don't want to do that because I want to get peace.”
Senior politicians from the U.S., Ukraine and elsewhere have emphasized that it is now up to Russia to show it is ready for peace, after Kyiv agreed to America’s ceasefire plan during hours of talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had been promised that Trump would introduce “strong measures against the Russian side” if the Kremlin rejected a truce.
“I don’t know the details yet, but we are talking about sanctions and strengthening Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he strongly hopes that “the U.S. will follow through on what it has promised.”
Russia says it’s waiting for details
Communication channels between Washington and Moscow are open, in a complete contrast to the situation before Trump returned to the White House in January.
On Wednesday, the U.S.’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, spoke to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded cautiously to the ceasefire proposals.
“[Secretary of State Marco] Rubio and Waltz said that they would pass on detailed information to us through various channels about the essence of the conversation that took place in Jeddah. First, we must receive this information,” Peskov said, according to the Reuters news agency.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting with the Irish prime minister, who is visiting the U.S., Trump also laid into his predecessors in the White House, claiming that they had been soft on Russia.
During his first term as president, Trump imposed sanctions on firms involved with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany. The measures – condemned by both the EU and Moscow – were later lifted by the Joe Biden administration.
“What I did to Russia was very tough, the toughest ever,” he said, according to the Guardian’s reporting.
However, Trump has been criticized throughout his political career for often expressing admiration for Putin. More recently, he has been accused of channeling Russian messaging in his verbal attacks on Ukraine and President Zelenskyy.
On Wednesday, the U.S.’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, spoke to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded cautiously to the ceasefire proposals.
“[Secretary of State Marco] Rubio and Waltz said that they would pass on detailed information to us through various channels about the essence of the conversation that took place in Jeddah. First, we must receive this information,” Peskov said, according to the Reuters news agency.
Trump: I’m the ‘toughest’ on Russia
Speaking to reporters during a meeting with the Irish prime minister, who is visiting the U.S., Trump also laid into his predecessors in the White House, claiming that they had been soft on Russia.
During his first term as president, Trump imposed sanctions on firms involved with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany. The measures – condemned by both the EU and Moscow – were later lifted by the Joe Biden administration.
“What I did to Russia was very tough, the toughest ever,” he said, according to the Guardian’s reporting.
However, Trump has been criticized throughout his political career for often expressing admiration for Putin. More recently, he has been accused of channeling Russian messaging in his verbal attacks on Ukraine and President Zelenskyy.
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