The U.S. president threatened Russia's trading partners with advanced duties if an agreement to end the war against Ukraine was not reached within 50 days. Additionally, NATO states are to finance large arms purchases for Ukraine.
German press on Trump's behaviour towards Putin
Is that a real turn in Trump's approach to Russia? The German press comments on Wednesday (16.07.25) as follows:
The diary "Sueddeutsche Zeitung" says that the circumstantial elements of Trump's expected return do not give optimism. "The president has not promised any fresh American arms assistance. He only agreed that Europeans would deliver Ukraine arms, which they would then be able to buy again from the US. The word alleged ultimatum for Putin to agree to a peace agreement is so generous and amounts to 50 days that there is much time for further course changes in Washington.
The sanctions package in the U.S. Senate, which provides 500 percent punishment duties for all countries that buy Russian oil or gas, was welcomed by Trump after a long period of hesitation, but only due to the fact that it will not be binding on him. It may impose duties or not at its own discretion. [...] Trump's alleged phrase is not breaking up with his erstwhile positions. Everything is inactive in the air, Trump remains uncertain. As always."
A commentator on "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" notes that Kremlin spokesperson demented the words of erstwhile president Dmitri Medwiedwiew, who stated that ‘the theatrical ultimatum Trump does not care about Russia. The Ombudsman even stated that the Kremlin took them very seriously.
"In addition, Moscow is hard to measure whether Trump's last turn in his policies towards Ukraine and Russia is again only short-lived, or is the consequence of a fundamental change in his relations with Putin. He managed to lead Trump by the nose since he took office. The Kremlin most likely hasn't abandoned the hope that it will be able to convince the American president to change his attitude with a telephone call or individual gathering (in private). Trump was generous adequate to give Putin 50 days to do so, during which Russia may proceed to bomb Ukraine."
A paper commentator adds that if Trump had decided to at least indirectly support Ukraine with weapons and hinder Kremlin's financing of the war through "secondary sanctions", then Putin would gotta seriously consider whether to make a deal with Trump, who at all costs wants to get the war out of his head. "We must fear that the aggressor will never leave the battlefield empty-handed," we read.
The regional paper "Stuttgarter Nachrichten" reads: "Trump accepted the function of seller for American defence companies and reprimands Putin's helpers. Nothing more. The designation of this phrase implies a immense amount of wishful thinking. This underlines Moscow's fast and sarcastic reaction. Therefore, it is right that the German government wants to buy 2 Patriot Air defence Systems for Ukraine from the US.
But even in relation to Germany, we cannot talk about a return. As regards the policy towards Ukraine, EU Chancellor Friedrich Merz remains on the course of his predecessor from SPD Olaf Scholz, who has always tried to alleviate Putin. More of the same as Patriots, for Ukraine, yes. A clear position against Putin, better not," we read.
