Key Points President Donald Trump threatened to impose “high levels” of sanctions on Russia and tariffs on imports from there if the country did not reach a settlement to end its war against Ukraine. Trump’s warning, made in a social media post, called out Russian President Vladimir Putin by name. “Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. did not bend to his will. “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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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!” Trump wrote. “IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.” Trump’s claim of Russian losses in World War II is markedly higher than expert estimates. The National World War II Museum in New Orleans says that the total number of military and civilian losses in the Soviet Union during the war was 24 million. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in December said that his nation has lost 43,000 soldiers killed in action and had another 370,000 wounded. Zelenksy also said Ukraine estimated that 198,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, with more than 550,000 soldiers wounded.