Trump Warns Putin: End Ukraine Invasion in 50 Days or Suffer Massive Sanctions

ISLAMABAD (Web-Desk) US President Donald Trump on Monday issued a stark ultimatum to Russia, demanding that Moscow end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face sweeping new economic penalties.

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not halt the three-year-long invasion, the US will impose “very severe tariffs,” likely around 100%, targeting not only Russia but also its remaining trade partners through what he described as “secondary tariffs.”

“I’m very, very unhappy with President Putin,” Trump said, signalling that his patience had run out over Russia’s refusal to withdraw. Trump’s remarks mark a sharp escalation after he initially pursued a warmer approach toward Putin, in line with his election campaign promise to end the Ukraine war quickly.

Early this year, he even floated the idea of brokering peace within 24 hours, raising alarms in Kyiv over whether the US might pressure Ukraine into concessions.

However, recent weeks have brought a noticeable shift, with Trump growing increasingly frustrated as Russia intensified its military offensive.

Sharing a personal glimpse, Trump recounted how First Lady Melania Trump influenced his outlook on Putin. “I go home and tell the First Lady, ‘I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation.’ And she says, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit,’ Trump recalled, before adding, “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy.”

Alongside the ultimatum, Trump and Rutte announced a new NATO initiative that will see the alliance purchase billions of dollars’ worth of US-made military equipment, including Patriot air defense systems, which will then be dispatched to Ukraine.

Rutte highlighted that Ukraine would receive “massive numbers” of weapons under the agreement — a move also intended to address Trump’s long-standing grievance that the US shoulders too much of the burden in supporting Kyiv.

In a sign of renewed US commitment, Washington reversed an earlier decision to pause certain arms deliveries, confirming on Sunday it would provide critical Patriot systems.

Trump’s special envoy, Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who described their discussions as “productive” and expressed gratitude for continued US backing.

Even as diplomatic moves unfolded, the war’s brutality persisted. Russian forces claimed fresh territorial gains on Monday, capturing villages in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes killed at least three civilians in the Kharkiv and Sumy areas.

In Kyiv, amid these escalating challenges, Zelensky proposed significant political changes, nominating Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to become the new prime minister.

Svyrydenko acknowledged on social media that Ukraine is navigating a “crucial time,” underlining the high stakes both on the battlefield and in the country’s political leadership.