In a stern message that could shift the geopolitical dynamics of global trade, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday cautioned India, China, and Brazil of facing “severe secondary sanctions” if they persist in trading with Russia amid its ongoing war in Ukraine. His comments were reported by Reuters during a high-level interaction with US Senators.

“My encouragement to these three countries, particularly, is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard,” Rutte warned, signaling potential economic repercussions for countries maintaining strong trade relations with Moscow.

The NATO chief's statement came just a day after former US President Donald Trump unveiled a fresh batch of military aid to Ukraine, which includes advanced weapon systems like Patriot missiles. Trump also issued a warning of 100 percent tariffs on Russian exports, allowing a 50-day grace period for global buyers to adjust.

In a pointed follow-up, Rutte urged these key global powers to pressure Russia towards peace negotiations. “So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way,” he added, according to Reuters.

While long-range missile support for Ukraine was speculated, Rutte clarified that the issue wasn’t discussed with Trump during their meeting.

On the US side, Republican Senator Thom Tillis applauded Trump’s decision to supply new weapons to Ukraine but raised concerns about the 50-day delay in action. He warned that this grace period could give Russia a tactical advantage.

“As per Tillis, Putin would use these 50 days to win the war or would try to be in a better position for the peace agreement,” the report noted.

Tillis further emphasized the urgency, saying, “So we should look at the current state of Ukraine today and say, no matter what you do over the next 50 days, any of your gains are off the table.”