Trump gives Putin 50 days for peace deal, or face tariffs

US President Donald Trump has given Russia 50 days to conclude a peace deal, otherwise he threatened to impose secondary duties on countries buying from aggressor state. The US leader said this during a meeting in the White House with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

"And one of the reasons why you [Rutte] are here today is to hear that we are very dissatisfied. I am [dissatisfied] with Russia. But we will discuss that maybe on another day. But we are very, very unhappy with them, and we will apply very severe [secondary] tariffs if we don't get a deal within 50 days. Tariffs at about 100%," Trump said.

The US President added: "I hope we don't have to do that."

Speaking to reporters, Trump said that 50 days is "a very short period of time."

He explained that the duties he has now threatened Russia with do not depend on the draft law on 500% tariffs for buyers of Russian resources: "We can impose secondary duties without the Senate, without the House of Representatives. But what they are developing can also be very good".

Trump noted that at a certain point, increasing the percentage of tariffs loses its meaning, and that 100% duties will have the same effect as 500%.

The US President added that the US Parliament could quickly pass the above-mentioned bill.

The US leader reiterated that he is disappointed with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, as he "thought we could have made a deal two months ago."

• Trump also said that NATO and the United States have signed an agreement to supply weapons to Ukraine at the expense of Europe.
• The US President noted that due to this agreement, Ukraine could receive up to 17 Patriot air defense systems, some of which will arrive in the country within a few days.
• Axios media sources said that Trump may have changed his rhetoric on Russia and Ukraine after a July 3 call to Putin, during which the dictator said he would make an offensive within the next 60 days.