Trump squares up to Putin with chilling threat: ‘Easy way or the hard way!’ | World | News
Newly-inaugurated Donald Trump has warned President Putin that he will face taxes, tariffs and sanctions if Russia does not sign up to a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
His new statement comes after Mr Trump’s frequent claim that he would end the war in his first 24 hours at the White House.
While he may have passed this deadline, the new president has clarified that the war must end.
“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,’ Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way – and the easy way is always better,” he added.
President Trump has sent a mix of incentives and threats to both sides, hinting that he could intensify the supply of arms to Ukraine if Putin does not wish to negotiate, yet at the same time has signalled the supply could be shut off if Kyiv refuses to approve a deal.
On Tuesday, reporters asked him about the possibility of cutting off arms to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Well, we’ll look into that. We’re talking to Zelensky,” he replied.
He added: “We’re going to be talking with President Putin very soon, and we’ll see what, how it all happens. We’re going to look at it.”
Putin is said to be ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources told Reuters, saying he is prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West do not respond.
“I’m not looking to hurt Russia,” he posted. “I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin – and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX.
“We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process.
“All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.”
This new warning comes after a previous caution by Mr Trump to Putin on Tuesday (January 21) – just one day into his second presidency – when he said: “”He [Putin] should make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal.
“I think Russia‘s going to be in big trouble,” the 78-year-old added.
