Putin is not taking Donald Trump seriously, an expert has warned.
A leading international relations lecturer has said Russia welcomes the US president’s news that he will give Moscow 50 days to end its illegal war in Ukraine as a “gift” as it will not have to worry about American action for nearly two months.
Last week, Trump said Russia’s failure to reach a negotiated settlement with Ukraine within 50 days would lead to his administration imposing a 100 per cent tariff rate on Russian imports as well as what he called “secondary tariffs” on countries that have continued to do business with Moscow.
“We’re very, very unhappy with him,” Trump told reporters. “We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days.”
But Patrick Shea from Glasgow University wrote in the Conversation: “Trump’s threat isn’t just non-credible – the positive market reaction in Russia suggests it is a gift for Moscow. The 50-day ultimatum is seen not as a deadline but as a reprieve, meaning nearly two months of guaranteed inaction from the US.
“This will allow Russia more time to press its military advantages in Ukraine without facing new economic pressure. Fifty days is also a long time in American politics, where other crises will almost certainly arise to distract attention from the war.
“More importantly, Trump’s threat actively undermines more serious sanctions efforts that were gaining momentum in the US Congress. A bipartisan bill has been advancing a far more severe sanctions package, proposing secondary tariffs of up to 500% and, crucially, severely limiting the president’s ability to waive them.
“By launching his own initiative, Trump seized control of the policy agenda. Once the ultimatum was issued, US Senate majority leader John Thune announced that any vote on the tougher sanctions bill would be delayed until after the 50-day period. This effectively pauses a more credible threat facing the Kremlin.”