NATO Chief Warns India, China, Brazil of Harsh Sanctions Amid Trump’s 50-Day Ultimatum to End Russia-Ukraine War

Washington D.C: A new wave of diplomatic pressure is building as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday issued a stern warning to countries maintaining strong trade ties with Russia, specifically naming India, China, and Brazil as potential targets for secondary sanctions. The warning came just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump set a 50-day deadline for a peace deal in Ukraine, threatening to impose severe 100% tariffs on buyers of Russian exports.

Speaking to reporters following meetings with U.S. senators, Rutte said, “My encouragement to these three countries, particularly is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard.”

Rutte emphasized that the international community must act swiftly to pressure the Kremlin. “So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India, and on China in a massive way,” he warned.

President Trump, during his Oval Office meeting with Rutte on Monday, had announced a new weapons aid package for Ukraine and followed it up with an ultimatum: “We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days.” However, he stopped short of outlining the exact details of how these tariffs would be implemented.

While Trump has made it a priority to end the three-year-long war in Ukraine swiftly, his administration’s tone appears to be hardening against nations perceived to be neutral or supportive of Russian trade interests. Analysts suggest that the proposed secondary sanctions and tariffs would not only target Russian exports but also penalize global partners who continue to engage with Moscow.

Meanwhile, Trump’s newly appointed special envoy for Ukraine and Russia was in Kyiv on Monday, holding discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as speculation mounts over a significant shift in Washington’s approach to the conflict.

Rutte, who is currently on a multi-day visit to the U.S., is also scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other congressional leaders to align NATO and American strategies on Ukraine.