Trump rules out World War for Kiev, threatens Russia with economic war
3 Min Read
Trump dismissed fears of a world war over Ukraine but warned of “very serious” economic sanctions against Russia if a peace deal is not reached.
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President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the conflict in Ukraine will not escalate into a world war, but warned that Russia could face severe economic consequences if no peace deal is reached.
"I'd like it [Ukraine conflict] to stop. I want to get it to stop. And it will not be a world war, but it will be an economic war, and an economic war is going to be bad, and it's going to be bad for Russia. And I don't want that now," Trump said during a cabinet meeting in Washington.
The US president emphasized that Washington would not pursue a military confrontation but was prepared to use economic sanctions against Moscow. "We have economic sanctions. I am talking about economics because we're not going to get into a world war," he said.
He added that he had "something very serious" in mind in terms of economic measures should negotiations fail.
Trump blames Zelensky: Two people to tango
Trump also commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s role in the war, suggesting that responsibility does not rest solely with Moscow.
"Zelenskyy is not exactly innocent either … it takes two people to tango, and I say it all the time, you got to get them together," Trump noted.
The remarks came shortly after the Alaska summit, where questions were raised about a potential timeline for resolving the conflict. Trump clarified that his administration’s focus remained on economic pressure rather than military escalation, reiterating his desire to see the conflict brought to an end through negotiations.
Regardless, Trump on Thursday revisited the origins of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, comparing Ukraine's struggle to a sports team forbidden from attacking. "It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It's like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offensive. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia," Trump wrote.
He directly blamed Biden for limiting Ukraine's options in the early stages of the conflict: "Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND defend. How did that work out?"
Trump further claimed that the war itself was avoidable, insisting, "This is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President – ZERO CHANCE." He concluded the post by declaring, "Interesting times ahead!!!"
Read more: Lavrov accuses West of blocking Ukraine ceasefire as disputes persist
