Trump to cut 50-day Ukraine ceasefire deadline as Russian strikes continue

Donald Trump has suggested he will bring forward a deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine as he met Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland.

The US president said he was “very disappointed” with Vladimir Putin, criticising the Russian president’s decision to continue air strikes against civilian targets in Ukraine.

Speaking alongside the Prime Minister outside his hotel in Turnberry, South Ayrshire, Mr Trump said: “We thought we had it settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever.

“You have bodies lying all over the street, and I say that’s not the way to do it. So we’ll see what happens with that.”

Severe tariffs

Earlier this month, Mr Trump threatened to impose “very severe” tariffs on Russia if Mr Putin did not agree a ceasefire within 50 days, with the deadline due to expire on September 2.

But on Monday, he said he would “reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number”, adding: “I think I already know the answer, what’s going to happen.”

Later, he suggested he would cut the time frame to “about 10 or 12 days” from Monday, which would see the deadline expire by August 9.

Efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine are expected to feature on the agenda for Sir Keir’s meeting with Mr Trump on Monday, along with the situation in Gaza and progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal.

Last week, Downing Street said both men were “set to talk about their shared desire to bring an end to the barbaric war” and “reflect on progress in their 50-day drive to arm Ukraine and force Putin to the negotiating table”.

Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine continues, with Russian drone and missile strikes hitting the country’s north-eastern Sumy region on Sunday, wounding four people.

Russian officials also claimed to have shot down 150 Ukrainian drones, with one person killed and three others injured near St Petersburg.