Trump tells Putin: 'Do it the easy way, or the hard way'

The message was the latest in a string of critical comments from Trump about President Vladimir Putin, who he accused this week of “destroying Russia” following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.

“Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT).

On Tuesday, Trump left open the prospect of new sanctions on Russia for its invasion.

But he missed his own declared deadline of ending the conflict within 24 hours of taking office.

“I’m not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

Just hours after his inauguration on Monday, Trump urged the Russian leader to come to the negotiating table with the Ukrainians.

“He should make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal.”

Trump was unprecedentedly stark, focusing on the economic damage done to Russia by the war.

“I think Russia is going to be in big trouble. You take a look at their economy. You take a look at their inflation in Russia,” he added, referring to price rises edging towards 10 per cent.

“I got along with him great. I would hope he wants to make a deal.”

Trump also loosely referenced Moscow’s staggering casualty rates in a war now nearing its fourth year in which Western officials estimate 700,000 Russians have been killed or injured.

“He can’t be thrilled,” Trump said of Putin.

“He’s not doing so well. I mean, he’s grinding it out… it’s not making him look very good… I think he would be well off to end that war.”