President Donald Trump said Monday he will shorten the 50-day deadline he imposed on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, citing his growing dissatisfaction with the Kremlin's behavior. Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, Trump declared, "I'm disappointed in President Putin. Very disappointed in him."
On July 14, Trump gave Putin until September 2 to negotiate a peace deal or face sweeping secondary sanctions targeting nations that continue to trade with Moscow. The penalties, which could include 100% tariffs, would potentially affect energy imports by China and India-two of Russia's key economic partners during the conflict.
"I'm going to reduce that 50 days I gave him to a lesser number," Trump said during his remarks at Trump Turnberry Golf Course. "I think I already know the answer what's going to happen."
Trump indicated he had attempted to mediate the war through direct calls with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "Russia and Ukraine - I would have said five times we had a deal. I spoke to President Putin a lot. Got along with him very well," Trump said.
Despite assurances from Putin suggesting a willingness to end hostilities, Trump said Russia continued to launch attacks, including strikes on civilian areas. "Then President Putin launches rockets into a city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people - in a nursing home, or wherever - and there are bodies lying all over the street," Trump said.
The Kremlin has so far declined to send Putin to direct talks, favoring lower-level delegations for trilateral discussions with Ukraine in Turkey. Although these meetings have failed to produce a ceasefire, they have resulted in prisoner exchanges.
"I'm very disappointed," Trump repeated on Monday. "We thought we had that settled numerous times."
