Trump threatens Russia with tariffs and arms Ukraine

US President Donald Trump has announced that the US will send 'top-of-the-line weapons' to Ukraine through Nato countries. He also threatened Russia with severe tariffs if a deal to end the war is not reached within 50 days. Trump made the announcement after meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte in Washington. Rutte confirmed that the US had decided to supply Ukraine with necessary weapons through Nato, with European countries covering the costs. The US will provide replacements for the European Patriot air defense systems sent to Ukraine to defend against Russia's air strikes.

While the specifics of the weaponry were not disclosed, Rutte mentioned that the deal included missiles and ammunition. Trump emphasized that top-of-the-line weapons worth billions of dollars would be swiftly delivered to support Ukraine. He warned Russia to take negotiations about Ukraine seriously, hinting at the consequences if a peace deal is not reached within the specified timeframe.

On the tariff front, Trump threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs on Russia's trade partners if a peace deal with Ukraine is not achieved within 50 days. This move aims to discourage countries from trading with Russia by imposing high import taxes on their products destined for the US market. The intention is to weaken Russia's economy and reduce its ability to finance the war in Ukraine, particularly targeting its oil and gas exports.

Despite the lack of detailed information on the tariffs and the Nato weapons deal, Trump's announcement marked the first commitment to provide new military equipment to Ukraine since his return to the White House.