WASHINGTON, DC – US President Donald Trump is continuing to work “aggressively” to bring an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Monday.
“He [Trump] continues to work aggressively to end the war in Russia and Ukraine,” Leavitt told reporters outside the White House, offering no further details. The statement follows recent actions by the Trump administration to intensify pressure for a resolution to the more than three-year-old conflict.
Early last week, Trump issued an ultimatum to Moscow, threatening to impose 100 percent tariffs on countries that purchase Russian exports if a peace deal is not reached within 50 days.
Trump also announced plans for European allies to acquire US military equipment, including Patriot air defense systems, for transfer to Ukraine. The US president has expressed frustration with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin over what he views as a lack of progress in peace negotiations.
Diplomatic initiatives have largely focused on prisoner exchanges, with direct talks between Ukraine and Russia yielding limited overall results. Moscow has claimed it remains open to discussions but maintains its objectives in Ukraine.
Kyiv has stated that further direct talks with the current Russian delegation are “pointless.”
The potential implementation of “secondary sanctions,” or tariffs on Russia’s trading partners, would mark a significant shift in Western sanctions policy, which has largely avoided measures that could disrupt global energy markets.
While some analysts question the effectiveness of such tariffs, others believe they could exert substantial economic pressure on Moscow.
“Now we need to see real sanctions on Russia ASAP and Ukraine needs the necessary tools to fight back,” Doug Klain, a policy analyst for Razom for Ukraine, a US-based organization that advocates for Ukraine and provides humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, told the Kyiv Post on Monday.
Klain noted that Trump’s support appeared to be crucial in Germany’s decision to send up to five Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, exceeding the previously expected two.
“That’s already a big step, and if Trump and NATO Secretary General [Mark] Rutte’s announcement last week is carried out, there could be much more on the way,” he added.
“It’s been a bad week for Vladimir Putin,” Klain concluded.