Trump’s "favourite newspaper" New York Post called on him to increase pressure on Putin for peace with Ukraine. PHOTO
The New York Post, which is called US President Donald Trump's "favourite newspaper", has called on him to increase economic pressure on Russia to "stop the killing once and for all" in Ukraine.
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in an editorial by the NYP.
The editorial writes that Trump wants to conclude a peace agreement as soon as possible, so he organised a summit with the Russian dictator in Alaska in a short period of time, and then, 3 days later, gathered European leaders at the White House.
At the same time, Putin has "repaid" his efforts by dragging the process, the newspaper notes.
Russia does not even agree to bilateral meetings between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting can take place only after certain conditions are met, which is usually impossible, and any promises by the West to protect Ukraine without a Russian veto, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are "a road to nowhere," the NYP notes.
The journalists stressed that Russia had killed 14 Ukrainian civilians over the weekend after the Alaska summit. After Trump and Zelenskyy met on Monday, Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles - the most since August. Since then, the shelling has only intensified.
The newspaper also mentioned that Trump had recently said he wanted to end the war in order to "get to heaven".
"If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty — I want to try to get to heaven if possible, I’m hearing that I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this [ending the war] will be one of the reasons," the US president said in an interview on Fox News.
The New York Post adds that this is a "noble goal" - even worthy of a Nobel Prize - but it is unachievable unless Putin is forced to the table.
"But what is the pressure on Russia? You’d think it was the high death toll, the 1 million casualties it has endured, but Putin doesn’t care about the damage he’s doing to his own people. He claims it is a necessary sacrifice," the article says.
The publication emphasises that the Russian dictator understands only one language - the language of finance, and the Russian economy is currently under serious pressure due to the costs of the war, a sharp rise in inflation and international sanctions.
The New York Post emphasised the need for secondary sanctions aimed at shadow markets through which the Kremlin leader finances his war machine to continue the war against Ukraine.
"It was the threat of such sanctions by Trump on Aug. 8 that convinced Putin to agree to the Alaska summit. But in the time since then, all Putin has done is 'tapped us along'. Enough time has passed. You understand, Mr. President, that strength sends a message," the newspaper writes..
According to the New York Post, in order to bring Putin to the negotiating table, the US must:
- Impose new sanctions,
- Increase tariffs,
- Find creative ways to cut off Russia's trade in oil and minerals.
"That will get Moscow’s attention quickly. It will get Putin moving at the speed you are. And it will, God willing, stop the killing," the publication concluded in its letter of appeal.
