HomeWorld‘End the war or face costs’: Hegseth threatens Putin with tariffs over Ukraine conflict

‘End the war or face costs’: Hegseth threatens Putin with tariffs over Ukraine conflict

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Washington and its allies are prepared to “impose costs” on Russia if the Ukraine war continues, urging President Putin to end the conflict and return to peace talks.

October 15, 2025 / 22:23 IST
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US ready to ‘impose costs’ on Russia if war in Ukraine drags on, says Hegseth
US ready to ‘impose costs’ on Russia if war in Ukraine drags on, says Hegseth

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned that Washington and its allies are ready to increase pressure on Russia if the war in Ukraine continues.

Speaking at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, co-hosted by the United Kingdom and Germany at NATO headquarters, Hegseth reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Kyiv and holding Moscow accountable for its actions.

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“President Trump knows how to forge peace, to create opportunities in situations, in scenarios where peace seems far off… This is not a war that started on President Trump’s watch, but it will end on his watch,” Hegseth said.

“If we must take this step, the US War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do,” Reuters quoted Hegseth as saying, adding that allied nations would act to “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.”