Sanctions, tariffs on Russia, no Tomahawks for Ukraine: Trump discusses strategy to end Russia-Ukraine War

President Donald Trump announced sanctions against Russia on Wednesday to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war with Ukraine.

“These are very big [and] are against their two big oil companies,” Trump told the press in The Oval Office Wednesday. “And we hope that they won’t be on for long. We hope that the war will be settled.”  

Trump said the oil companies are two of the biggest in the world and he hopes the sanctions will make Putin “become reasonable.” 

“And hopefully Zelensky will be reasonable too,” Trump said. “You know, ‘it takes two to tango,’ as they say, and we’re going to find out. These two people hate each other. And it makes it more difficult than it should be.” 

Trump met with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and how to bring peace to the countries.  

Rutte told the media there was no specific peace plan discussed, as some media previously reported. Instead, Rutte said he came to discuss with Trump how NATO can support the U.S. in achieving peace.  

“Why I’m here is to dialogue again with the president how NATO, my colleagues and other colleagues in NATO, can be of maximum support to get that [peace] done,” Rutte said. “But there is no peace plan on the table. If it is a peace plan, it is what the President said last Friday and Sunday, which is: ‘stop where you are, stop the fighting.’” 

Rutte praised Trump for his efforts in ending the war, explaining how these new sanctions pressure Russia to cease fighting.  

“What the President is doing today with these sanctions is putting more pressure, of course, on both parts,” Rutte said. “In this case of Russia, it’s all about changing the calculus, making sure that Putin understands the [U.S.] president’s vision this weekend of having a ceasefire and to stop where they are, that this has to be step one now, and for him to really accept that vision and to come to the table.” 

In the strongest statements on Tomahawk missiles yet, Trump said the U.S. will not be providing Ukraine with the weapons because their use requires long, intense training. He said America will not be shooting the missiles or teaching others how to use them.  

“It’ll take a minimum of six months, usually a year, to learn how to use them. They’re highly complex, so the only way a Tomahawk is going to be shot is if we shot it, and we’re not going to do that,” Trump said. 

Trump also clarified America is not selling any weapons to Ukraine but is rather selling them to NATO. Trump said the U.S. has “a great relationship with NATO.”  

Meanwhile, NATO allies are discussing how to aid Ukraine with the donated weapons and how to “sustain Ukraine post a peace deal,” Rutte said. 

“NATO wants to help our colleagues,” Rutte said, turning to Trump. “Want to help to basically deliver your vision of peace in Ukraine. We have to stop the killing. This is close to your heart, and this is your vision. That’s why this war needs to end.” 

The sanctions follow the president’s previous announcement of a meeting with Putin, which Trump said he canceled because he knew they would not finalize the essentials for peace. Nevertheless, Trump promised the meeting would be held in the future. 

He also said he plans to discuss this war and the means for peace in his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week in South Korea.  

Last week, nearly 8,000 soldiers were killed in the fighting from both Russia and Ukraine, Trump said, adding that peace between Russia and Ukraine has become “tougher than the Middle East.”  

“The Middle East was supposed to be the tough one, and we’ve solved that puzzle, but this one will get solved also,” Trump said. 

Photo: The White House