Trump shifts back on Ukraine: weapons to Kyiv and sanctions on Moscow as EU seeks deal on 18th package

Brussels – Another about-face by Donald Trump, who brings the United States firmly back into the Western front opposing Russia’s grinding war in Ukraine. The US president announced last night (14 July) that he will send “the best weapons” to Kyiv – paid for by European allies – and threatened Moscow with severe sanctions if there is no peace agreement within 50 days. 

It was a decisive change of strategy by the US administration after the green light to the controversial cut in military supplies to Ukraine, announced only two weeks ago.  The agreement reached during the visit of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to Washington provides for the deployment – “within days,” the tycoon promised – of additional Patriot anti-aircraft batteries, financed by some of the Atlantic Alliance partners. Rutte confirmed that a significant number of allies, including Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada, are prepared to cover the costs of the agreement.

In addition, Trump said he was “very unhappy” with Vladimir Putin’s behaviour and issued an ultimatum to Moscow. Without a peace deal within 50 days, the US will impose “very severe tariffs.” Tariffs of 100 percent on Russian exports and secondary sanctions against the Kremlin’s trading partners, primarily China and India.

This morning, on her arrival at EU Council of Foreign Affairs, High Representative Kaja Kallas welcomed the renewed US commitment and relaunched the 18th package of European sanctions against Moscow and the cap on the price of Russian crude oil: the 27 member states are “very, very close” to agreeing on the new round of restrictive measures – presented at the beginning of June, but there is Hungary’s veto to overcome – and have not abandoned the idea of reducing the ceiling for Russian oil prices from $60 to $45 a barrel. “I hope we will find an agreement now, even if the Americans are not on board, but the other G7 countries are, then we will go ahead with this,” said the head of European diplomacy.

The Danish presidency of the EU Council echoed this: Copenhagen’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, emphasized the importance of “capitalizing on the momentum created also by Trump’s new messages yesterday” to increase the pressure on Russia and secure an agreement among the 27 member states on new sanctions.