50 days weren’t for Putin – diplomat on Trump’s ultimatum

This view was shared on Espreso by Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister (2007–2009) and head of the Center for Russian Studies.

“On Trump’s ultimatum, I agree with economic analysts: the 50-day warning wasn’t for Putin, it was for countries facing sanctions. The ones potentially most 'affected' are China, India, and Brazil. China and the U.S. are rivals, and I doubt much can happen between them. Trump tried pressuring China and got hit back. India’s a different case, it’s China’s rival and supposedly a U.S. ally. I think Trump was signaling to India: ‘Dear Indian friends, you’ve got 50 days to find new oil. Get ready,’” the diplomat said.

According to him, if Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine, and if India and Brazil manage to pivot within those 50 days, there’s a chance the world won’t need to wait until September 2.

“That’s my optimistic version and it might be right. Of course, we can’t know what’s in Trump’s head. Maybe it’s a green light for Putin to keep bombing, but that doesn’t match Trump’s claimed concern for lives. Or maybe it’s a push for India and Brazil to act fast, because things will go south. The truth is likely somewhere in between,” Ohryzko added.

• On July 14, Donald Trump threatened secondary tariffs on Russia, up to 100%, if a peace deal with Ukraine isn’t reached within 50 days.
• In response, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council and former president, called Trump’s deadline a “decorative ultimatum.”
• Republican Senator Lindsey Graham had his own take: if Putin’s curious about day 51, he should give Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a call.