Former U.S. National Security Council Director for Europe and Eurasia, diplomat Matthew Bryza, said on Espreso.“I think President Trump probably realized, I’m speculating here, of course, that it wasn’t realistic to expect Putin to simply stop because Donald Trump said so. I think Trump is starting to understand that he has to build a growing, even escalating, set of costs and risks for Putin to consider, and that takes some time. I wish there weren’t 50 days. I wish those secondary sanctions were applied immediately,” he said.Bryza recalled that it is also reported that President Trump had a conversation with President Zelenskyy, during which he asked whether Kyiv could attack Moscow and St. Petersburg.“And of course, President Zelensky responded, “Sure we can, if you give us the weapons.” I think that shows Trump is trying to find a way to impose mounting pressure on Putin over this 50-day period to make it more likely that Putin will agree to negotiate a ceasefire. Personally, I don’t believe Putin will agree to a ceasefire, not in 50 days, or at all.I’m just saying that Trump probably believes Putin needs some time to see and understand what the cost will be if he doesn’t end the war,” the diplomat believes.In his opinion, Trump had this conversation and made the relevant proposals to President Zelenskyy because he is looking for a way to show Putin the real costs of the war.“The real costs of the war, which will only continue to grow for the Russian people and therefore increase the political costs for Putin if he continues the war.Until now, as we all know, it is Ukraine – Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and other places in the Donbas – that has absorbed all the horrible costs of the war, while Moscow and St. Petersburg remain virtually untouched,” Bryza said.The diplomat suggested that President Trump is not taking this lightly.“He is thinking like a property developer in New York City who needs to get something from a local government official, an investor, or a landholder. He is asking himself how to increase the pressure and cost on this other party for refusing to do what he says must be done, in this case end the war.I think Trump is trying to figure out how to escalate the pain and the costs for Putin for not ending the war,” he summarized.On July 14, Donald Trump announced that he would impose secondary duties on Russia, which could reach 100% if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev called U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50-day deadline for a peace deal with Ukraine a “decorative ultimatum” that Moscow didn’t even notice.U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham says Putin should call Iran’s leader Khamenei to find out what happens on day 51 if Trump’s conditions on Ukraine aren’t met.White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that the Donald Trump administration will impose secondary sanctions and tariffs against Russia if a ceasefire is not achieved in Ukraine within 50 days. The restrictions will also apply to countries purchasing Russian oil.