US President Donald Trump’s 50-day pause ahead of possible secondary sanctions on Russia gifts the Kremlin a window to exploit the incremental gains of recent weeks in Ukraine’s east.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, setting a 50-day deadline to end the war in Ukraine or face sweeping consequences. Trump threatened "very steep tariffs" and harsh secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian oil.

President Vladimir Putin believes Russia's economy and its military are strong enough to weather any additional Western measures, sources said.