U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply escalated pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine, giving Moscow a fresh deadline of 10 to 12 days to make tangible progress or face punitive economic measures—including new sanctions and secondary tariffs. The ultimatum was delivered Monday during Trump’s visit to Turnberry, Scotland, where he is meeting with European leaders and playing golf.
Trump, visibly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized the lack of progress in resolving the ongoing war that has lasted over three and a half years. Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump declared:
“There’s no reason in waiting… We just don’t see any progress being made.”
This marks a shift from Trump’s previous 50-day deadline, which he now calls too generous. The shortened timeline signals a possible turning point in U.S. policy and may indicate that Trump is prepared to enforce long-threatened sanctions if diplomatic inaction continues.
“Game of Ultimatums”: Global Reactions Pour In
The Kremlin has yet to officially respond, but Russian officials have already begun to push back on social media. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close Putin ally, warned on X (formerly Twitter) that Trump’s stance risks escalating the war beyond Ukraine:
“Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war—not just with Ukraine, but with Trump’s own country.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine welcomed the pressure campaign. Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky, publicly thanked Trump for “delivering a clear message of peace through strength.”
Trump’s Mixed Record: Tough Talk, Limited Action?
While Trump has at times praised Putin and emphasized their past relationship, Monday's comments reflect a firmer posture. He suggested no further talks with Putin are on the horizon, stating that economic penalties would be the preferred method of enforcement:
“If you know what the answer is going to be, why wait? It would be sanctions and maybe tariffs… I don’t want to do that to Russia. I love the Russian people.”
Yet critics note that Trump has previously hesitated to act on his rhetoric, citing diplomatic ties and personal rapport with the Russian leader.
Broader Diplomatic Picture: Gaza, NATO, and Beyond
The Ukraine conflict isn’t the only foreign policy crisis on Trump’s radar. The president also discussed the Gaza food crisis during his meeting with Starmer, amid continued efforts to broker ceasefires in multiple conflict zones. Trump pointed to his administration’s previous efforts in South Asia and Central Africa, highlighting his role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan and facilitating peace between Rwanda and Congo.
Despite these claims, Trump is under pressure to deliver a peace deal in Ukraine, especially after repeatedly campaigning on the promise that he could end the war “in a single day.”
“We thought we had that settled numerous times,” Trump said, “and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into Kyiv, killing people in a nursing home… That’s not the way to do it.”
📅 What’s Next?
Ukraine has proposed a summit between Zelensky and Putin before the end of August, but Russian officials say such a meeting would only happen at the final stage of negotiations. Moscow also insists that Western arms shipments to Kyiv must stop if peace is truly the goal.
With Trump’s revised 10-12 day deadline now ticking, all eyes are on Moscow—and Washington—to see whether this latest diplomatic gamble will end a war that has already claimed thousands of lives and destabilized the region.
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