Donald Trump has threatened to take action against Russia as he urged the country to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine ‘before it is too late’.
Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to share his warning after his tense meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28, when Trump insisted Zelenskyy was ‘gambling with World War three’.
Trump’s comments came shortly after the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and just days later the POTUS decided to halt all US aid to Ukraine.
In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that if the decision for the US to pause military aid was ‘true’, then it could ‘really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process’.
Trump then announced in his speech to Congress that he had indication from Putin that Russia is ready for peace, saying: “[We] have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?
“It’s time to stop this madness. It’s time to halt the killing. It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”
It’s only been three days since Trump claimed that Russia was ‘ready for peace’, but the president has now issued a warning against the country if it fails to act.
Donald Trump threatened tariffs against Russia if it doesn’t reach a peace deal with Ukraine (MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)
In his Truth Social post, Trump once again wielded the threat of tariffs – something he’s been talking about a lot lately after taking action against Mexico, Canada and China.
Trump has used tariffs, among other threats, to urge Russia to reach a deal with Ukraine.
He wrote: “Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED.
“To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!”
Trump has urged Ukraine and Russia to come to a deal (Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump)
Ukraine has made clear it is ready to ‘work fast to end the war’, with Zelenskyy suggesting ideas for the ‘first stages’ of peace in a post on Twitter after his meeting with Trump.
In the post, he wrote: “[The] first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky – ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure – and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same.”
“Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy added. “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
A spokesperson for the Kremlin has released a statement responding to Donald Trump pausing all US military aid to Ukraine and his ‘desire to bring peace’.
Mere days after US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance berated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, the US revealed it would be pausing military aid to Ukraine.
On February 28, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visited the White House in Washington DC but was met with a far from warm response.
Vance proceeded to accuse Zelenskyy of being disrespectful towards both the US and President Trump, and told him he ‘should be thanking the president’.
Trump then ended up butting in, telling Zelenskyy he’s ‘in no position to dictate’ how the US is ‘going to feel’ given he and Ukraine aren’t ‘in a very good position,’ accusing the president of ‘allow[ing]’ himself to ‘be in a very bad position’.
Trump warned: “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards … You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War Three! You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country – this country.”
Yesterday (March 3), a White House official revealed the US would be ‘pausing and reviewing [its] aid [to Ukraine] to ensure that it is contributing to a solution’.
“The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well,” the statement added.
The White House revealed it’s paused military aid to Ukraine (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
And Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has since responded to the US’ decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, stating, as quoted by Reuters: “If this is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, the US has provided the equivalent of $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, the State Department revealed in January earlier this year.
Peskov’s statement continues: “It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”
He resolved: “We hear his statement about his desire to bring peace to Ukraine, and this is welcome. We see certain things and receive certain information about the proposed actions in this direction. This is also welcome. But we will continue to see how the situation develops in reality.”
President Trump has issued a statement after chaotic footage showed him ‘yelling’ at President Volodymyr Zelinskyy during a press conference today, saying he’s ‘gambling with World War 3’.
Trump and Zelenskyy met at the White House’s Oval Office earlier today (February 28), and to say it was eventful is certainly an understatement.
After being told he ‘should be thanking the president’, Zelenskyy questioned: “Have you ever been to Ukraine? Seen what problems we have? Come once.”
Watch the moment unfold here:
The Ukrainian president reflected on how ‘during the war, everyone has problems’ and just because they don’t ‘feel it now’ doesn’t mean the US won’t in ‘the future’.
The 47th POTUS then butted in, arguing he’s ‘trying to solve a problem’ and saying Zelenskyy is in ‘no position’ to tell them ‘what [they’re] going to feel’.
Raising his voice, Trump continued: “You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good. We’re going to feel very good and very strong.
“You’re right now, not in a very good position, you’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position.”
Trump added: “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards … You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War Three! You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country – this country.”
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The US president has since taken to his Truth Social account to address the tense Oval Office altercation.
He wrote: “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.
“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.
“I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Trump has issued a statement following his heated debate with the Ukrainian president (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The meeting in the Oval Office has received many reactions on social media.
One Twitter user said: “Jesus F**king Christ! Watching Trump yell and demean the Ukrainian President is completely disrespectful. What a disgrace.”
“Vladimir is the only leader in the room!!” another added, a third simply put: “Embarrassing.”
Vice President JD Vance also clashed with Zelenskyy, with Vance dubbing the Ukrainian president ‘disrespectful’.
A lip reader has detailed vice president JD Vance’s supposed three-word threat as Donald Trump delivered his speech to Congress earlier this week.
The US president’s near-100-minute speech was action-packed, as he detailed how Vladimir Putin has provided ‘strong signals’ to the US for peace and disclosed a letter received from President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid the chaos that unfolded in the Oval Office last week.
Vance was in attendance at the Capitol in the address to Congress on Tuesday (March 4), with a hot mic capturing the vice president’s one criticism before Trump’s speech.
A clip from the session captured Vance greeting House Speaker Mike Johnson, with the latter joking the pair ‘didn’t wear the same tie’.
JD Vance watching on as Donald Trump delivered his speech to Congress (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Vance then responded: “We could have coordinated I guess, but…”
The vice president then went on to say he’s ‘gotta be honest’ with Johnson, before leaning in to whisper to him in audio that wasn’t quite picked up.
Leaning back out, Vance added: “By the way, I think the speech is going to be great. But I don’t know how you do this for 90 minutes.”
The House Speaker then instantly responded: “By the way, I think the speech is going to be great. But I don’t know how you do this for 90 minutes.”
Lip reader Jeremy Freeman claims Vance told Johnson it would be ‘a full reckoning’, adding that was ‘long overdue’.
It comes as the vice president has received condemnation on social media for comments he made regarding the support needed by Ukraine.
Vance has been accused of disrespecting France and/or the UK following his recent comments.
JD Vance has ruffled a few feathers in Europe (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Speaking to Fox News earlier this week, Vance said: “The president knows that if you want real US security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.
“That is a way better security guarantee from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”
The UK and France are the only two countries that have pledged troops to a potential peacekeeping force, so you can see why some people on the internet were left annoyed by the comments.
One Twitter user wrote: “JD Vance’s claim that the UK hasn’t fought a war in 30-40 years insults the 600+ British troops who died in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside Americans.
“Disrespectful to their sacrifice and our alliance, time for an apology, not ignorance.”
The White House has responded to claims that the Trump administration is revoking 240,000 Ukrainian people’s temporary legal status in the US.
Earlier today (March 6), there were reports that Donald Trump intended to revoke Ukrainian refugees’ status’ in the US following his decision to halt all military aid to the warn-torn country.
The choice to pull Ukraine’s military aid came in the wake of President Zelenskyy and President Trump’s tense discussions at the end of February where they tried to agree on a way to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.
“The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well,” a White House official said yesterday (March 3).
Addressing the military aid that the US has been providing Ukraine, the spokesperson went on: “We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
In what was thought to be another blow to Ukraine, it was reported that Trump was revoking the temporary legal status of any Ukrainians that fled to the US after the war broke out in February 2022.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since denied that any final decisions on the matter have been made, however.
Sharing a screenshot of an article addressing the allegations, Leavitt tweeted: “This is more fake news from Reuters based on anonymous sources who have no idea what they are talking about.
“The truth: no decision has been made at this time.”
This is more fake news from Reuters based on anonymous sources who have no idea what they are talking about. The truth: no decision has been made at this time.
Following Zelenskyy and Trump’s chaotic meeting at the White House, the Ukrainian president was urged to make amends with Trump.
Sharing a conversation he had with Zelenskyy, Mark Rutte, NATO secretary general, said: “What I told to President Zelenskyy is that I said, I think you have to find a way, dear Volodymyr, to restore your relationship with Donald Trump and the American administration.
“That is important going forward.”
Britain’s ambassador to the US, Lord Mandelson, echoed similar sentiments.
“After what happened on Friday, it’s clear that we need to bring the United States and Ukraine together again,” he said, The Telegraph reported.
“I think the first thing that President Zelenskyy can do is to make clear his commitment to the initiative that President Trump is taking.”
“I do think it would be a good idea if he signed an economic and commercial deal put forward by the United States,” Mandelson added.
