WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that the United States is prepared to wage an “economic war” against Russia if it does not agree to a peace deal with Ukraine. The remarks came during a cabinet meeting where Trump expressed his frustration with the stalled negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to a report from Bloomberg, Trump stated, “It will not be a world war, but it’ll be an economic war, and an economic war is going to be bad. It’s going to be bad for Russia, and I don’t want that.” He also told his cabinet that he has “very serious” consequences in mind if the conflict continues, citing the human toll of the war.
The president’s comments follow a recent meeting with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, which was seen by some as a potential breakthrough moment. However, as noted by Meduza, Trump has since suggested that Ukraine is “not exactly innocent either,” saying, “It takes two people to tango.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also stated that a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders is not currently planned, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The threat of an economic war comes amid existing tensions over international sanctions and tariffs. The Trump administration has already imposed a 50% tariff on some Indian goods, citing India’s purchase of discounted Russian oil, according to The Economic Times. Trump has consistently warned of sanctions against countries that continue to support Russia’s war machine through oil purchases.
