NATO chief ‘very happy’ with Trump’s sanctions threat on Russia
NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte hailed newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump’s Wednesday warning that Russia could expect more tariffs and sanctions if it did not end the war in Ukraine.
“I was very, very happy with the position of Trump to put more sanctions on Russia. We know that the Russian economy is doing terribly bad[ly], and the sanctions will help,” he told CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.”
He expressed hopes that Europe will now also “step up” with sanctions in a bid to “choke off the Russian economy” and lessen Moscow’s war coffers.
“Trump is right, Ukraine is closer to Europe, but Trump is also right that it is a geopolitical conflict so I’m sure the U.S. wants it to end with a good and strong deal,” Rutte added.
When asked for his current assessment of the war between Ukraine and Russia, Rutte said “at the moment, it is moving not in the right direction.”
President Trump on Wednesday warned Russia that it could expect more tariffs and sanctions if it did not end the war in Ukraine. He has also previously threatened to cut military funding for Ukraine, in a move that raised questions whether Europe would need to decide if it was going to step into the breach left by the U.S.
This breaking news story is being updated.
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