President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric in Scotland, publicly issuing a **10–12 day ultimatum** to Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine—or face sweeping **secondary sanctions** and punitive tariffs on any country still trading with Russia Reuters reported and confirmed by **The Washington Post** coverage. Initially he’d allowed 50 days, but frustration over continued Russian aggression sped up the deadline.
Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said he was “very disappointed” with Putin’s lack of diplomatic progress and labeled Moscow’s civilian drone and missile attacks “unnecessary.” He warned that if **no ceasefire is reached by early August**, the U.S. will unleash “very severe” economic measures, calling the situation a tipping point in the global order UNILAD detailed and **Economic Times** echoed the warning as reported.
“We’re not waiting anymore… ten to twelve days, Vladimir, it’s your move.”
The threat includes **secondary sanctions** not just on Russia but on any nation or entity trading with it—a move aimed at scaling global economic pressure and isolating Moscow internationally as reported by Economic Times and detailed by **The Guardian** review analysis.
Reaction in Moscow was immediate and harsh. Former President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed Trump’s ultimatum as a dangerous game, warning that dragging the West into sanctions threats could escalate into direct conflict—potentially drawing the U.S. into war unintentionally Swedish press report and **New York Post** covered the fallout.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly welcomed Trump’s shift in tone, praising the tightened timeline as a more credible incentive for Putin to negotiate seriously—though Ukrainian officials emphasized that only **binding security guarantees** and **Crim e a retention** demands would satisfy Kyiv Reuters and **Al Jazeera** interview coverage.
“10 days or terror—make peace or feel the pain.”
The grim ultimatum capped a year of Trump diplomacy marked by a February phone call and a Riyadh summit with Putin aimed at launching peace negotiations on Ukraine—efforts that yielded prisoner exchanges but no ceasefire as documented by Wikipedia and subsequent summit reporting overview.
Experts are closely watching whether Trump’s aggressive timeline will trigger further de-escalation—or unintended consequences. Critics warn sanctions pledges may push Russia into deeper alliance with China and Iran, while unresolved NATO discord and inconsistent U.S. messaging could undercut alliance unity as The Guardian commentary noted.
Ultimately, Trump’s message to Putin signals a dramatic tone shift—from earlier praise to public frustration and tangible threats. Whether the ultimatum forces a diplomatic breakthrough—or accelerates conflict—remains to be seen. What’s clear is that he’s betting time—and economic pain—will compel Moscow to rethink its strategy.
