Trump threatens Russia, others with sanctions if Ukraine deal not reached

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Russia "and other participating countries" with taxes, tariffs and sanctions if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not struck soon.  Trump wrote on his Truth Social network, " I’m not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin - and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process. All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." 

Without a deal, Trump said in a post on Truth Social, "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." Trump did not identify the countries that he considered to be participants.

Mideast envoy to visit Gaza  US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy said on Wednesday he would travel to the region to be part of what he described as an inspection team deployed in and along the Gaza Strip to ensure ceasefire compliance. In an interview with Fox News, the envoy, Steve Witkoff, also said he believed all countries in the region could get "on board" to normalise ties with Israel. “I’m actually going to be going over to Israel. I'm going to be part of an inspection team at the Netzarim corridor, and also at the Philadelphia corridor,” he said. His comments were the first public confirmation of US involvement on the ground in Gaza to help keep the deal on track.   -Reuters

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