This time, Russian economist Nikolay Mezhevich has taken aim at the US president. Responding to Trump's threat of sanctions being placed on Russia if the conflict with Ukraine was not to be solved in the next 50 days, he called the president's bluff.

President Donald Trump is downplaying the possibility of sending Ukraine long-range weapons as Kyiv awaits an injection of U.S. weaponry that it hopes will help it beat back an intensifying Russian air offensive.

Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100% secondary tariffs on Russia if a Ukraine peace deal isn't reached in 50 days sent Moscow’s stock market surging. Analysts say investors expected harsher action. As Trump signals a tougher stance,

Sitting in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and apparently fed up with being slow-walked by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump threatened the Kremlin with tough tariffs if it doesn't make a deal to end the war within 50 days. But perhaps more important was Trump's shift on weapons.

Russia does not care about Trump's ultimatum of sanctions unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal in Ukraine, a senior security official said.

Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine and threatened "biting" secondary tariffs of 100% on the buyers of Russian exports unless there is a peace deal in 50 days.