Donald Trump, left, and Vladimir Putin are set for a summit in Alaska. Photo: AFP
US President Donald Trump promised "very severe consequences" on Russia if its President Vladimir Putin doesn't agree to end his war in Ukraine during the two leaders' meeting on Friday.
"There will be consequences," Trump just said during an event at the Kennedy Centre in Washington.
Asked if that meant new sanctions or tariffs, Trump demurred.
"I don't have to say," he said, adding only: "There will be very severe consequences."
Some background: Trump had previously threatened new sanctions on Moscow as punishment for the Ukraine war, setting last Friday as a deadline to impose them unless Putin came to the negotiating table.
That deadline came and went without new sanctions, which could have limited effect given low levels of trade between the US and Russia.
Trump has also threatened secondary sanctions on countries that purchase Russian energy. While he imposed new levies on India, the number-two purchaser of Russian oil, he stopped short of slapping the new duties on India's largest customer, China.
Meanwhile, Trump told European leaders at a virtual meeting on Thursday that territorial issues related to Ukraine cannot and will not be negotiated by anyone but Ukraine's president, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting with Trump, Macron said that "several messages came out of the exchange."
French President Emmanuel Macron Photo: Pool / Ludovic Marin / AFP
The first message was that Trump was "very clear" about the fact that Washington wanted to obtain a ceasefire during the US leader's upcoming meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska.
"It's very important that a ceasefire is obtained during this meeting in America and we support this initiative alongside a new prisoner exchange and the liberation of (Ukrainian) children," Macron said.
The second element - which was "very clearly expressed" by Trump - was "that the territorial issue relating to Ukraine cannot and will not be negotiated by anyone but the Ukrainian president", he continued.
The French leader's comments came after Trump indicated last week that a ceasefire deal could include "some swapping of territories," an idea rejected by both Russia and Ukraine.
According to US officials, Putin has offered to halt the war in Ukraine in exchange for significant territorial concessions by Kyiv, including the entire eastern Donbas region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed not to give Donbas to Russia, saying that doing so would open the door for Putin to "start a third war" in Ukraine.
-CNN
