WASHINGTON (July 20, 2025) – President Donald Trump on Monday intensified U.S. pressure on Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, announcing a new arms package for Kyiv and warning that Moscow has 50 days to agree to a ceasefire or face “very severe” sanctions and tariffs. In an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said European allies would jointly purchase “billions and billions” of dollars of U.S. weaponry – including Patriot air-defence missiles – to replenish Ukrainian stockpiles. He set a 50-day deadline for a deal, saying any delay would trigger U.S. duties on Russian oil imports “at about 100%” and the imposition of secondary tariffs on any country continuing to buy from Moscow. “My conversations with [Putin] are very pleasant, and then the missiles go off at night,” Trump said of recent phone talks, lamenting that “it just keeps going on and on”.
Moscow immediately denounced the ultimatum. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted the U.S. threat as “blackmail” in violation of international norms, saying the Kremlin “will take all necessary steps to ensure the security and protect the interests of our country”. Former President Dmitry Medvedev – now deputy head of Russia’s security council – dismissed Trump’s warning as a “theatrical ultimatum”. Medvedev even warned that if Russia perceives an escalation it could launch pre-emptive strikes against NATO targets. Kremlin insiders told Reuters that President Vladimir Putin is “unfazed” by Trump’s threats and confident Russia can outlast more sanctions. They say Putin still believes the West has not seriously negotiated and will continue fighting until Moscow’s terms – including recognition of its territorial gains and curbs on NATO expansion – are met.
U.S. allies have scrambled to respond to Trump’s new stance. Officials in Europe and Asia say they are negotiating side-deals to soften the blow from any sudden U.S. tariffs. Trump has signaled he is also targeting trade with Europe – the Financial Times reported he wants a minimum 15–20% tariff on all EU goods even under a deal, and to keep auto duties at 25% – a demand that European diplomats have called “absolutely unacceptable”. Meanwhile, some in Washington have backed tougher measures on Moscow: a bipartisan bill to impose new sanctions on Russia was moving through Congress this week, and EU envoys were finalizing their 18th sanctions package against Russia.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Trump for the support. After speaking by phone late Monday, Zelenskyy said he and Trump had “discussed the necessary means and solutions to provide better protection for people from Russian attacks” and agreed to coordinate their next steps. On trade and finance, NATO members’ leaders – including Germany, Canada and Norway – pledged to bankroll the U.S. weapons purchases, with supplies to be rushed to Ukraine as they arrive.
Back in Washington, the White House defended the new policy as aimed at “stopping the killing” in Ukraine. A spokeswoman said Trump was committed to a peaceful end of the war, warning that Putin “will be faced with biting sanctions and tariffs” if he refuses a ceasefire. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met Russia’s foreign minister in Kuala Lumpur last week, said that both sides had exchanged “new ideas” for peace talks but that Trump remained “disappointed and frustrated” by Moscow’s lack of flexibility.
Analysts say the coming weeks will test whether Moscow yields to economic pressure or digs in. Some traders noted that oil prices initially jumped on fears of U.S. sanctions but then eased, as Mr. Trump’s 50-day timeline still leaves room for negotiation. For now, the standoff continues: Russian officials insist their objectives in Ukraine are non-negotiable, while Washington has put Moscow on notice that its actions carry costly consequences. The outcome of this high-stakes standoff will depend on which side blinks first – and whether a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin can be arranged to break the logjam.
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