U.S. President Donald Trump has strongly condemned Russia’s ongoing military aggression in Ukraine, describing the Kremlin’s conduct as “appalling” during a press briefing on Thursday, July 31.
“Russia — what they’re doing is appalling. It’s truly shocking,” Trump said, responding to reports that a missile strike in Kyiv had killed at least 16 people.
In reaction to the escalating conflict, Trump revealed plans to send his special envoy, Steve Witkoff—currently in Israel—to Russia for urgent talks. Witkoff has previously held several meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as part of earlier diplomatic efforts.
The U.S. has issued Russia an ultimatum to halt hostilities in Ukraine by the end of next week or face stringent economic sanctions. Trump reiterated the warning on Thursday evening, stating:
“We will impose sanctions. I’m not sure sanctions affect him much,” he remarked, referring to Putin.
The President also suggested the possibility of expanding sanctions to include “secondary tariffs” targeting countries still trading with Russia, such as China and India—a strategy that could severely damage Russia’s economy but might also escalate international tensions.
Entering his second term, Trump had hoped the war, ongoing since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, would be swiftly resolved. Yet his tone has grown more serious in recent weeks amid Moscow’s relentless offensive, which continues to cause civilian casualties and regional instability.
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