European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said US President Donald Trump should have given Russian President Vladimir Putin a shorter deadline to begin peace talks over the war in Ukraine.
Trump said on Monday he would impose 100% tariffs on Russia’s main trading partners if Putin does not agree to negotiations within 50 days.
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“On one hand, it is very positive that President Trump is taking on a strong stance on Russia,” Kallas said in comments to The Telegraph. “On the other hand, 50 days is a very long time if we see that they [Russia] are killing innocent civilians.”
Trump also announced a plan to send billions of dollars worth of weapons to Ukraine in a deal paid for by other NATO countries. He said the military equipment would be “top-of-the-line,” but did not provide details.
“It’s clear that we all need to put more pressure so they will also want peace,” Kallas said.
“And it’s good the Americans are making the steps, and I hope they are giving military aid like Europeans are giving.”
A key part of the plan involves sending Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. Trump said NATO countries would be allowed to give Ukraine Patriots from their own stockpiles, and get replacements from the US.
Ukraine could receive up to 17 systems, with some expected to arrive within days, Trump said.
Sitting with Trump in the Oval Office, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte hailed the announcement as “really big,” stating, “The decision is that you want [to give] Ukraine what it needs to have to maintain [and] to be able to defend itself against Russia. But you don’t want Europeans to pay for it, which is totally logical.”
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Speaking to reporters, Trump voiced frustration with Putin, saying the Russian leader talks about peace but fails to act.
“I’m disappointed in President Putin, because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but it doesn’t seem to get there.”
Trump expressed hope for progress in a ceasefire, noting, “I think you’re going to see strong movement. I hope so. I hope so. You know, the secondary tariffs are very, very powerful.”
Rutte also directly addressed Putin, saying, “If I was Vladimir Putin today and hear you speaking about what you were planning to do in 50 days, and this announcement, I would reconsider whether I should not take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously than I was doing at the moment.”
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