Trump’s 50-day Russian sanctions pause will cost lives — and achieve nothing

President Donald Trump likes to strike deals, and he’s willing to give adversaries second and even third chances to reach them.

But he himself says he thought he had a deal with Vladimir Putin to halt the fighting in Ukraine “four times” already.

So why give the Russian strongman yet another chance, this one to last 50 days?

That’s just 50 days of additional bloodshed.

Unfortunately, that’s just what Trump did when he threatened Tuesday to impose tough new sanctions on Russia if Putin refused to agree to a cease-fire within 50 days.

Predictably, Moscow read that as timidity: “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences,” scoffed Dmitry Medvedev, a top Russian official and former president, in a tweet.

“Russia didn’t care.” 

Indeed, within hours of Trump’s threat, Moscow launched more massive attacks on Ukraine — including, notably, on civilian sites, like a shopping center and energy infrastructure.

That was a clear middle finger from Putin to Trump; Vlad couldn’t be any clearer that he isn’t going to bend.

Not now.

Not in 50 days.

“Putin does not want a conclusion,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Post.

“He’s just not ready to compromise.”

Bingo.

Yet, ironically, the 50-day grace period gives Russia an incentive to ratchet up the killing and seize as much of Ukraine as possible before the deadline.

Meanwhile, many — on both sides — will die during those seven weeks, for no good reason, before Russia feels any fresh pain.

And make no mistake: Trump’s sanctions can make a difference.

They include a 100% tariff on Russian exports (which aren’t much) plus a 100% “secondary tariff” on countries that trade with Russia.

Congress wants to boost that secondary tariff — targeting mostly China — to 500%.

China needs Russian oil, and Russia needs Chinese cash.

But China will have to choose between continuing to bankroll Moscow, watching sales to America plummet due to tariff-fueled higher prices or absorbing the hefty new cost itself.

Meanwhile, any drop in Russian export sales would further weaken Putin’s already shaky economy.

After years of Putin shrugging off the West’s sanctions, it’s time to toughen them up.

As Zelensky put it, Putin “needs to feel this.”

But there’s little logic in waiting.

Yes, Trump sees himself as a dealmaker and a peace lover; he’d rather strike an agreement than punish anyone.

But the 50-day pause is like telling a bully you are going to hit him back . . . in two months.

Don’t wait any longer, Mr. President. Slap Russia with sanctions now.