US President Donald Trump has given Russia and Ukraine a “two-week” deadline, saying he will decide soon whether to impose “massive sanctions,” “massive tariffs”. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said: “In two weeks, we will know which way I’m going. Because I will go one way or the other, and I’ll learn which way I’m going. That’s whether or not it’s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both. Or do we do nothing and say it’s your fight.”The remarks came as hopes for a Russia-Ukraine summit dimmed, with Moscow pouring cold water on peace efforts and Kyiv accusing the Kremlin of dragging out the war. Earlier in the week, Trump had suggested that Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were prepared to meet face-to-face, but on Friday he likened them to “oil and vinegar.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed “no meeting” was planned, while Zelensky accused Moscow of “trying to wriggle out of holding a meeting.”Trump’s comments come as his administration weighs additional tariffs and sanctions against countries seen as enabling Russia’s war effort.Also read: Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro’s fresh attack on India over Russian oilHis trade adviser Peter Navarro recently accused India of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” by refining Russian oil and reselling it globally, linking the practice to Moscow’s ability to fund its military campaign. New Delhi rejected the claims, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar calling the logic “perplexing” and defending imports as vital to India’s energy security.Trump, wearing a red cap with the slogan “Trump was right about everything,” said, “It takes two to tango,” as he left open the possibility of stepping up economic pressure on Moscow. He also displayed a photo sent by Putin after their summit in Alaska last week and said he might invite the Russian leader to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States if progress is made on Ukraine.The question of security guarantees for Ukraine remains unresolved, with Trump claiming Russia had agreed to “some Western security guarantees” for Kyiv, only for Lavrov to dismiss the idea as “a road to nowhere.” Zelensky, speaking in Kyiv alongside NATO’s Mark Rutte, argued that only foreign troops and firm guarantees could deter Russia from future aggression.The war, now in its fourth year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Moscow has consistently opposed any NATO role in Ukraine, citing it as a reason for its invasion. Ukraine, meanwhile, points to Russia’s violation of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum — in which Moscow pledged to respect its sovereignty in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons — as evidence that strong guarantees are essential.Trump’s comments come as his administration weighs additional tariffs and sanctions against countries seen as enabling Russia’s war effort. His trade adviser Peter Navarro recently accused India of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” by refining Russian oil and reselling it globally, linking the practice to Moscow’s ability to fund its military campaign. New Delhi rejected the claims, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar calling the logic “perplexing” and defending imports as vital to India’s energy security.
