Donald Trump, Mark Rutte, put Vladimir Putin on notice

This morning, President Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte put Russaian President Vladimir Putin on notice, giving Putin 50 days to qork out a peace deal or watch a well-stocked Ukrainian military go on the offensive against Putin's Russia. Fox News is reporting "President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that the U.S. has agreed to sell arms to NATO just moments after he said Russian President Vladimir Putin has 50 days to secure a peace deal with Ukraine or face "100%" tariffs. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Trump called him on Thursday to confirm he wanted to enter into a deal with NATO allies to sell them arms for aid to Ukraine."

This isn't Biden bluster. Putin has seen that Trump's red lines won't get ignored like Biden's redlines got ignored. Just ask the nuclear scientists at Natanz, Fordow or Isfahan -- if they're still breathing, which I doubt. Better yet, Putin can ask Qassim Soleimani if Trump's red lines get ignored. Oh wait.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is quoted as saying "This is really big. This is again European nations standing up," Rutte added. "I've been in contact with many countries, I can tell you at this moment Germany, massively, but also Finland and Denmark and Sweden and Norway, we have the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Canada – they all want to be part of this."

NATO isn't just buying defensive weapons from the U.S. They're buying offensive weapons, too. Putin knows that Trump repeatedly said that U.S.-built weaponry are the most lethal in the world. Putin fighting Ukraine with U.S.-built weapons isn't something Putin should want. Instead, I'd think that's a situation Putin would want to avoid.

Trump Takes Questions

Trump isn't kidding when he says that U.S. military weaponry is 25+ years ahead of Russia's weaponry. The thing that didn't get talked about in today's meeting is the fact that Ukrainian soldiers and pilots are pretty skilled. They aren't skilled at the same level as the U.S. or the IDF but they should be taken seriously.

Fresh in Putin's memory is Trump's 60-day deadline with Iran. On the 61st day without a deal, the IDF unleashed the dogs. Twelve days later, Operation Midnight Hammer "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program. Iran thought that they could string negotiations out with the hope of developing a nuclear weapon. After the bunker buster bombs obliterated Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz, the Trump administration waited a short period before offering a cease-fire plan between Israel and Iran. After the offer was made, it took just 20 minutes for Iran to accept.

Putin would be wise to keep that fresh in his head. It wouldn't be the U.S pulling off Operation Midnight Hammer. That doesn't mean Ukraine isn't capable of delivering a stunning blow inside Russia. Putin would be wise to notice that President Trump's attitude was different today vs. what it was a week ago. Today's Trump looked like he was done giving Putin another opportunity tp drop more bombs on innocent Ukrainian civilians. To Putin, the clock is ticking. One minute after the deadline, all bets are off.