U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would add new tariffs to his sanctions threat against Russia if the country does not make a deal to end its war in Ukraine, and added that these could also be applied to "other participating countries."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump modified comments he made on Tuesday that he would likely impose sanctions against Russia if President Vladimir Putin refused to negotiate an end to the nearly three-year conflict.
"If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries," Trump said.
Trump's post did not identify the countries that he considered participants in the conflict, or how he defined participation.
Former President Joe Biden's administration heaped heavy sanctions on thousands of entities in Russia's banking, defense, manufacturing, energy, technology and other sectors since Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has killed tens of thousands and reduced cities to rubble.
Russia's deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said Moscow will have to see what Trump thinks a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine means.
"It's not merely the question of ending the war," Polyanskiy told Reuters. "It's first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis."
In the runup to his Nov 5 election victory, Trump declared dozens of times that he would have a deal in place between Ukraine and Russia on his first day in office, if not before. But Trump's aides have conceded a deal to end the war could take months or longer.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury hit Russia's energy revenues with its hardest sanctions yet, targeting oil and gas producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, as well as 183 vessels that are part of the so-called dark fleet of tankers aimed at evading other Western trade curbs.
SANCTION AND TARIFF THREATS
Trump has sought to use the threat of tariffs to achieve non-trade goals, including threatening Mexico, Canada and China with duties to push them to stop illegal migration and the flow of the deadly opioid fentanyl into the United States.
Those three countries are the top U.S. trading partners. But Russia is far down the list, with U.S. imports from Russia falling to just $2.9 billion through the first 11 months of 2024 from $29.6 billion in 2021.
The U.S. stopped importing Russian oil after its invasion, but still imports some precious metals, including palladium used in automotive catalytic converters.
As for other participants, the Biden administration had imposed sanctions against entities in China, North Korea and Iran for aiding Russia's war effort.
Trump said he was "going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!"
The negotiating positions of the two warring sides remain far apart, and some Ukrainians fear they could be forced to make massive concessions after three years of brutal combat.
The conflict has developed into a war of attrition largely fought along front lines in eastern Ukraine, with huge numbers of casualties on both sides.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
111 Comments
Underworld
The root causes are known as: Russian imperialism.
JJE
Suspect this is more for domestic consumption and to appease the Atlanticist warmongers.
Russia is in the driving seat and is on a roll. Sanctions won't do anything (nor will tariffs) - even the latest round of sanctions mentioned in the article on energy companies saw their monthly revenues climb to a record high.
Moscow won't stop for a ceasefire until the national security objectives set are achieved. Watch.
Mr Kipling
All the other sanctions on Russia have worked so well. Worked on making European consumers poorer.
Underworld
JJE
As Trump said yesterday, Russia’s economy is in very bad shape. They need to stop this war before it collapses.
So why did Trump threaten Russia with them.
And the Ruble plummeted.
Moscow doesn’t have any national security objectives with this war. They never have. That has always been a pretext. This war is about Russian imperialism.
Underworld
Mr Kipling
Well they tanked the Ruble.
plasticmonkey
You mean the "de-Nazification" of Ukraine?
lol
virusrex
To be fair Trump must be desperate after promising to end the war in 24 hours so it is understandable that he threatens with anything that may be perceived to have an effect even if the effect is minimal (or there is no real intention to follow up with the threats).
Yrral
A Paperless Tiger
MarkX
He has the concept for a peace plan! It will be coming with his health care plan any day now! But first we invade Greenland!
theFu
Are there anymore tariffs to be added to Russian exports? Tariffs aren't the answer for everything, Mr. Trump. I can't believe you are so stupid. Perhaps you fired the people who actually know about how Russia has been bypassing sanctions. If they get around sanctions, they will get around tariffs too. After all, China is propping up Russia so they can keep fighting. China is the problem that allows Russia to keep fighting in Ukraine.
Moriah
Why didn't Biden do this?
This proves that Biden took a knee to Putin.
ok1517
Donald - as always - talk, words, words, words and nothing but words!
The only things he is good at is taking care of his and his clan's profits.
He doesn't understand how things are working.
Those tarriffs he plans for Russia won't achieve anything!
The trade balance with Russia 20 billion $ - peanuts!
Trade balance with Canada more than 800 billion $!
Of course he will sell out Ukraine to Putain - it will be beneficial for both sides.
bass4funk
And now they are becoming actions.
2017 not as well, but this time around…oh, yeah..
It will get them to the table, as one of the largest producers of wheat, it absolutely will
Great!
Well, this war needs to end because they won’t be getting money from us anymore.
itsonlyrocknroll
Donald Trump could well have to "reach out" to the EU commission.
The diplomacy/political timing couldn't be more problematical. France Germany economic/political trails and tribulations every day news headlines.
A strong respected diplomat will need to take charge, Romano Prodi, former prime minister of Italy perhaps?
https://home.watson.brown.edu/people/faculty/visiting-fellows/romano-prodi
plasticmonkey
Because Trump is full of it.
lincolnman
Well, it's now past "24 hours" and and we have our first Trump policy failure...that has to be a record....
“They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours.”
https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-un-election-a78ecb843af452b8dda1d52d137ca893
FAILED! Get ready for more - given his record of flips, broken promises, and outright lies, this is just the beginning...
Lying Loser? Failed Felon? Flim-Flam Fool? They all fit...
Yrral
Trump is a chump, begging the preacher to apologize to.him
Yrral
I would like see Russian leak their secret file on Trump,that Trump is hiding
bass4funk
We went through that already, remember?
She’s worse, there was no reason for her to inject politics into a church sermon, she knew full well what Trump promised he was going to do since 2016, so I’m not sure why she would ever think she could dissuade him otherwise.
Tokyo Guy
Russia is in the driving seat and is on a roll.
If I had a ruble for every time I've heard that, I could purchase the USA back from Elon Musk.
kurisupisu
President Trump will be decisive in stopping the war.
Even before taking his second office, contact was made with Vladimir Putin.
Biden had none!
Blacklabel
24 hours, 24 hours, 24 hours.
bunch of unserious and disingenuous people. Once he does end the war? Will just move on to being disingenuous about something else.
So ungrateful.
diobrando
4 years with this clown, putin must be laughing. Who really think that trump in 24 hours could get what nobody could in several years?
TaiwanIsNotChina
Trump is sounding desperate. What could save him for a limited time only is cutting the umbilicus with Putin and properly supporting Ukraine militarily.
bass4funk
ROFL! Not sure what you’re seeing but that’s not going to happen.
On the outside, but inside, Vlad needs to a deal and needs to make money, They need to sell their wheat.
Wasabi
Wasn't the war supposed to be over on day one?
What a joke!
Bob Fosse
For what? Calling out be and lies?
”easiest thing ever, 24 hours, even before I’m President”
You got played, own it.
plasticmonkey
The US grows enough wheat. It doesn't need Russian wheat.
Blacklabel
No, I’m not such a disingenuous person to take 24 hours as literal.
it’s not even the end of Day 3.
itsonlyrocknroll
Kyiv reveals total Ukraine casualties in Putin’s war for first time
Zelenskyy said 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 370,000 wounded. That compares with 600,000 dead and wounded reported for Russia.
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-announces-its-total-military-casualties-first-time/
The Ukrainian civilian casualties, evidence of atrocities/war crime?
Russia is in the driving seat and is on a roll???
Do you really contend such a callous statement will offer the families of the 600,000 dead servicemen solace comfort?
lincolnman
Yep, that's what he said and promised - here's the exact quote if you didn't see it: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours.”
Indeed - making a clear promise to end a war and save lives - and then failing to keep it - it's beyond "unserious and disingenuous" - it's a "huuuge" failure... But then, he also failed to keep his promise to build the wall and have Mexico pay for it...
MAGA-world should remember the old saying; "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me....
So painfully failing...and it's only been one day...
Wasabi
Look at this picture, what is the guy thinking? Isnt he supposed to be the president of the US and not a low budget TV star?
bass4funk
True, sales went down to about $3billion, but to your point, this is why Russia wants to sell more wheat and soil so if they can make some sort of deal down the road, they most likely will.
kurisupisu
None of you know what is happening behind the scenes and for all you know, Donald Trump the second president of the United States is actually on his way to ending the war.
Look for an end to hostilities soon!
wallace
Some people might be surprised but soon Trump will give new weapons to Ukraine, not at the level of the former administration. Trump needs a peace deal and won't have it if Ukraine is very weak.
Dango bong
finally a real leader is President. Delivering on campaign promises from day 1. Thos who do not like common sense, start crying for the next 4 years!
Jimizo
It’s good advice for all.
Many took Trump literally last time when he said he’d build a wall, get rid of the debt, deliver great healthcare at a fraction of the cost and throw all illegals out.mm
How soon?
What are the odds? Are they “6/3” again?
Tokyo Guy
I can't find the exact line, but someone came up with a perfect encapsulation of MAGA "thought" when called out on Trump's BS. Something like, in this order,
1) "He didn't say that he would end the hostilities in one day"
2) "It was taken out of context"
3) "He might have said it but so what?"
4) "He said it and he was right"
(Come to think about it, replace "say" with "do" and you get their take on Musk's "roman salute"...)
bass4funk
I wouldn’t object to that, however, I would object to more tax money going to Zelenskyy, but that won’t happen so if it’s weapons, go for it
Ken
Is this a con tactic of pretending like option B is more valuable than option A so you have the world buying into the option you don't wish for? He does and doesn't support control over birth rights, he also does and doesn't support TikTok so is he now pretending to be against the Russians? On paper he has never threatened them so is he faking it now to throw people off?
Dango bong
This time he has a Republican congress. When he accomplishes his goals you Trump Derangement Syndrome people will search for another minor thing to cling to for crying... Calling him racist or something when he has never said a racist quote in his life.
Dango bong
Like it or not almost 70% of Americans want him in office and support every move he is making, including me.
iknowall
For the past 4 years Russia took advantage of the Biden administration weakness.
It's a Golden Age for America from now.
Peter Neil
russia has already had its pants sanctioned off. nothing left to sanction.
Jimizo
So he’ll do those things this time? Fair enough. Let’s see.
I just tend to judge politicians on what they deliver regarding key promises, including the politicians I vote for.
I’m a bit old-fashioned that way.
lincolnman
So on Day #1 of Trump's Presidency, he "failed to deliver"....
After bragging he could end the Russia-Ukraine war "in 24 hours"....24 hours have passed and the war seems to still be going on....
In other words, Trump made a promise, then welched on it...and we're surprised?
Let's look at some of Trump's past "welches"....
1) He said he won’t have time to play golf if elected president. But he has made more than 250 visits to his golf courses—a record for any president
2) He said he would repeal the Affordable Care Act, and replace it with something “beautiful.” It didn’t happen.
3) He promised to eliminate the federal deficit. He increased it by more than 7.2 trillion dollars.
4) He promised to lock up Hillary Clinton. He didn’t.
5) He promised to tear up the Iran nuclear deal and renegotiate a better one. Didn't happen.
There are hundreds more....the lesson here is TRUMP OPENLY LIES...take anything he says for what it's worth....NOTHING....
Primusinter
wallace, I'm afraid you are the only right here. But Ukraine is running out of Ukrainians. And the demographic situation is catastrophic. In Ukraine, women have stopped having children. It remains only for British, Americans and others to send their military to fight against Russians. And that's another level. This is already a world war. And this is a new level of weapons. The Americans, of course, have unique weapons. But that's all you can't think of! You don't know how to think further. Russians also have weapons that you can't access. You can't talk to Russians the way Trump allowed in his post today. The Russians will not give in! And we're all in danger of a nuclear winter.. The world has acquired a couple more clowns in addition to Zel ... Can you guess who I'm talking about?
Jimizo
Is that true?
I hope you aren’t quoting Trump on that. He speaks more metaphorically.
Maybe doing the weave or something.
I'veSeenFootage
He won with 49.8 percent of the votes of adults who bothered to show up for the election. How is that "almost 70% of Americans" exactly?
Fos
As we all know the United States played a key role in generating and perpetuating this terrible conflict in Ukraine, and the good part is that Trump understands that, unlike the Biden administration, whose main aim together with Antony Blinken, was to please the warlords in Wall Street.
Majority of Ukrainians want peace negotiations to start. Russia has single-handedly stopped American aggression, and any negotiations will have to start with the military situation on the ground.
I'veSeenFootage
In this sentence "we" refers of course to "russian propagandists".
WoodyLee
""U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would add new tariffs to his sanctions threat against Russia if the country does not make a deal to end its war in Ukraine, and added that these could also be applied to "other participating countries.""
Just Do It and stop this meatgrinder.
Primusinter
I have no idea if this is true or not. I don't care about that. And the question is not addressed to me. But the fact that Trump is lying is already being felt. Today, he stated in his post that 60 million Soviet people died in World War II, a number taken from the ceiling. Well, by calling Russia (apparently, he forgot that at that time Russia was a part of the great Soviet Union) America's assistant in World War II, he insulted real history. In short, congratulations to this world with a new clown :)
Wasabi
100% trump fan reply! Good one.
Jimizo
Trump is a pathological liar but is also going senile. He’s an old man. The mistake can be put down to senility. The silky old goat was gibbering about Spain being part of BRICS.
I’d still say he has more sincerity and seriousness than the pro-Putin posters on here though.
Chabbawanga
The US is still buying Uranium, titanium, fertilisers, and a bunch of other strategic resources from Russia. You stick tariffs on them, US ends up paying more.
I'veSeenFootage
Yeah several months in and apparently Trump and his followers still haven't grasped the absolute basic fact that tariffs are not paid by the country you put the tariffs on. Thet are paid by the country that puts them.
It's as frightning as it is hilarious.
GuruMick
Putin "No ,no, not tariffs, please, I will do anything ....."
Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch where the tough broke....under sarcasm
Primusinter
Trump's post today coincided with the escalation of actions in the Kursk region, where Ukraine has sent all its forces, and in the key Pokrovsky area. And again, it was completely unsuccessful for Ukraine. In Novoselka, the escape route from the settlement is located at the narrowest point where the Russians are trying to encircle the UAF. It is impossible to ensure security, communications and emergency evacuation. This bottleneck is shot through. The 110th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is under threat of complete destruction.
wallace
Thousands of North Korean troops were killed in the Kursk region. Their mothers must be very sad.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/22/around-1k-north-korean-soldiers-killed-fighting-for-russia-bbc-a87700
ian
Why not stop buying from Russia altogether
Primusinter
wallace, where from the Moscow Times knows it? This source has the status of a foreign agent and is undesirable in Russia. Therefore, its staff has never been allowed to visit the military zone. I swear, the Moscow Times correspondents have not seen a single North Korean to make such statements. The Moscow News website has been blocked in Russia since 2022. It's even less credible source than your Wikipedia.
lincolnman
Trump threatening tariffs is scary....especially when he continues to forget, mistake and confuse countries...
US President Donald Trump has left some in Spain confused after seeming to get the S in the acronym ‘Brics’ confused. On his first day, the president said Spain is a member of the Brics bloc of developing economies, causing some head-scratching and jitters over possible tariffs in Madrid. Spain is not in Brics. It is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/donald-trump-seems-to-confuse-spain-with-south-africa-you-ll-figure-it-out/ar-AA1xB7ir?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=9023c343521a4a7ab7d744b2fe3271bb&ei=139
His mind is so shot, he could start a war with Japan thinking it was China...
This guy belongs in an Alzheimer's ward, not the White House...
rainyday
Gonna be awkward when some people have to choose whether to follow their loyalty to Trump or their loyalty to Putin.
itsonlyrocknroll
I will never understand the mindset of the dictator.
President Putin has every single EU member state in the palm of his hand.
All, UK too, were, I suggest still are, completely at the mercy of Russian federation natural fossil fuel resources.
Net zero is decades away from becoming a reality.
All President Putin needed to do was leveraging the dependence of EU/UK energy needs by pricing accordingly.
Never required an invasion. not a single missile.
bass4funk
I don't think he's any different than any other politician who lie, but the big difference is, they lie and try to hide it as well as their policies, Trump's lies are more checkmates for the left, he learns and adapts for an old man, most can't even keep up with him, don't understand it myself, I could never run on 4 hours sleep, guess I need to eat more KFC.
I disagree, he seemed very clear on the issue
I saw anyone who is Pro-Putin, maybe Pro-American and willing to give tax money to Zelenskyy, but Putin loving??? Never.
itsonlyrocknroll
Ukraine would have fallen into line,
Russia could have simply dangled the pipeline transit fees, like a monetary yoyo.
Harry_Gatto
Just more hot air from the blowhard in chief; I wonder just how many people believed that nonsense.
Randy Johnson
Even a year ago an end to the Ukraine war would have been achievable, but it seems virtually impossible now. Whether you are a political left supporter or a political right supporter - this war never should have started, but here we are. The biden admnistration fumbled badly on this one as well as NATO.
The bottom line is that everyone wants this war to end but we don't know how and President Trump is making promises that most likely will be too hard too keep. His thoughts are in the right place which is to end the war and prevent more people from needlessly dying - even the political left can agree to that, right? - but russia is in the driver's seat now and has too much leverage.
It would be best for the West to cut the best deal possible to stop funding this long and ongoing quaigmire and just end this dead end war.
The political left needs to understand that making a deal doesn't mean you get everything you want.
Blacklabel
Yep, I would say people who didn’t vote against Trump gave their tacit approval of him being President.
cause as always it was an election of Trump vs. not Trump.
Fos
Let's not forget that the LNG the US is selling to Europe, replacing the Russian gas, comes from fracking, and is highly polluting the environment, other than being more than 3 times the price of natural gas from Moscow.
Indeed, a 2019 study attributed a decade of growth in global atmospheric methane emissions to the fracking boom in the United States.
And yet the legacy media will always try to filter these news. Talk about sanctions!
And then you wonder why the previous US administrations contributed to the destabilizing process in Eastern Europe.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Right, shouting you will impose sanctions that have already been imposed and begging and pleading sure does sound like strength.
The Biden sanctions already took care of that to the extent it was ever going to be.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Right, the anti-American can squeal that Democrats are the ones in trouble and that might carry some water for a few seconds only.
TaiwanIsNotChina
1.5% is not decimated. One of the smallest margins in history.
TaiwanIsNotChina
It's the only thing that will save what remains of Trump's dignity.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yes, because you live in a fantasy world where Putin is just one step away from the negotiating table.
They have fanciful and illegal objectives that need to be denied.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Tanks only rolling one way on Feb. 24th, 2022.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Right, we can read that clearly as you love Trump who might give russia the goodies it is looking for in Ukraine.
falseflagsteve
Time for peace and common sense.
ian
Support is calibrated so the war drags on for as long possible.
Underworld
Burgerland
Ukraine was not considering NATO membership in 2020.
Putin said that he wouldn’t invade
According to Putin’s war aims: puppet president within a week, yes failed.
2023 /24 "Putin is dying, the Russian army is finished, economy is decimated "
21% interest rate, food inflation ~70%, Rouble routed.
According to peacemaker Trump.
bass4funk
Yes, because you can increase them and also withhold aid and goods and Trump does well on his threats
Putin is still smiling Russians are still eating happily at Burger King, not sure what you are talking about. I thought sanctions were supposed to hurt.
https://youtu.be/XHcm7fthj7g?si=V2tLCm0VKVFTyryi
Underworld
Burgerland
You pro-war Putinists are in a fantasy world if you think Putin will agree to peace.
Mr Kipling
Russia has 4 exports, Oil, gas, grain and military hardware. The first 3 just happen to be desperately needed by the world. Some of the countries shouting loudest are importing the most. The 4th now has a huge domestic demand. That is why any "sanctions" on Russia are doomed to fail.
Underworld
Mr Kipling
And yet they have caused the Ruble to plummet. The Russian economy is suffering with runaway inflation and super high interest rates.
Underworld
Burgerland
"You pro-war Putinists are in a fantasy world if you think Putin will agree to peace."
And yet you fail to condemn Putin who started the war in the first place. That makes you pro-war.
Fos
While the majority of Ukrainians want peace negotiations to start, after more than $110 billions dollars sent to Ukraine in lethal weapons the big US industrial military complex is still trying to convince the public opinion that fighting is the only way forward.
The top 5 weapons manufacturers in the world, all Americans, don't want to miss the big business opportunity which drove Wall Street to the historical records.
Once again this conflict reveals an unbelievable hypocrisy: regional or global powers act based on balances of power and not on motives that have to do with morals and ethics
Underworld
Fos
Do you have proof of this? Because everyone is saying that they want peace.
Who is saying that they don’t want?
RichardPearce
It's ironic that Trump, who destroyed so much merely because it was something Obama had successfully done, is taking up Biden's efforts to redeem Obama's Folly.
Though, of course, Trump's 'success' (because according to him, he never fails') will probably be a result of him giving up on the efforts to gain control of the industrial and agricultural heartland of Ukraine
Fos
Even the pro legacy media understand that the big
US industrial military complex has earned enough money with this capitulation, and now it is time for diplomacy:
More that half of Ukrainians want quick end to war through negotiations:
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2024/11/20/most-ukrainians-now-want-an-end-to-the-war
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/ukrainians-ready-to-end-war/
KnightsOfCydonia
Interesting times indeed. I think both sides should take a breath and see how Trump actually does handle this.
It seems his team is reading this situation correctly and not with blind partisanship.
All indications are that Putin is feeling the pressure and now is the time to put the squeeze on, more international isolation is required.
Underworld
Fos
Agreed, Ukrainians and Zelenskyy want an end to the war.
Where is your proof that the big US industrial military complex is still trying to convince the public opinion that fighting is the only way forward?
Blacklabel
Agree. But the disingenuous ones just gonna keep claiming it just doesn’t matter what happens because it didn’t happen in “24 hours”.
adults accept that if we have realized we can take a little longer and get an even better solution, that can and should be done.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I don't need to say these things for the first time because these are what people are paid rubles for.
Underworld
Burgerland
"That makes you pro-war."
So, you are fine with Russia invading a sovereign nation and think you are not pro-war? Unbelievable.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Ukraine does not deserve to be wiped off the map and we can see you are pro-war when you ignore that that is Putin's goal.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Large Body will not be able to get Restaurant Brands to divest its 15% stake. In any event, this is not what russia's economy is based on.
Underworld
Burgerland
Yes. So that they can defend themselves against Russian aggression.
Do you know what the mobilization age is in Russia? 18.
Do you know what the requirement age to join the military in the US? 17.
It's not controversial, and nobody is saying that they should be sent to the front line.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Because Trump says so? He's not the "top" in this relationship.