President Donald Trump insisted Wednesday that he loves the Russian people, and, as he has "no other choice" but to enforce sanctions if the war isn't over, he's willing to do the country and President Vladimir Putin a "favor" by allowing Russia to end the war before measures are taken.
"We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better," Trump said on Truth Social. "It's time to 'MAKE A DEAL.' NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!"
Trump added that he's offering Russia and Putin a "very big FAVOR" by allowing the country to "settle now" and "STOP this ridiculous War!"
"IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE," he said. "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries."
He also said that he has "always had a very good relationship with President Putin," even with the "Radical Left's Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX."
Further, Trump said that the United States must also not forget that Russia helped it win World War II, "losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process."
According to the National World War II Museum, the then-Soviet Union suffered 24 million military and civilian losses in the war.
Trump also reiterated his claims that the war "never would have started" if he had remained in office.
His post came after he said Tuesday that he'll likely sanction Russia if Putin refuses to negotiate about bringing the Ukraine war to an end.
The Biden administration imposed several sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, including sanctions on oil and energy sectors earlier this month.
Trump told reporters Tuesday that he told Chinese President Xi Jinping during a recent phone call that Beijing should help stop the Russia-Ukraine war.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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