US President Donald Trump has expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that he could impose additional tariffs on Russian oil if Moscow does not cooperate in ongoing negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
In a phone interview with NBC News last week, Trump stated he was ‘pissed off’ with Putin over his remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s credibility.
Trump criticized Putin for questioning Zelenskyy’s legitimacy and advocating for new leadership in Ukraine.
“New leadership means you’re not gonna have a deal for a long time, right?” Trump remarked, emphasizing that such discussions hinder peace negotiations.
Trump warned that failure to reach a peace deal could lead to secondary tariffs on Russian oil.
“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault, which it might not be, but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” he stated.
He suggested that these tariffs could be as high as 25 percent and implemented at any moment.
Moreover, Trump confirmed he is open to speaking with Putin this week if the Russian leader takes constructive steps.
“Yeah,” he responded when asked if he would engage in discussions under the right circumstances.
He also claimed that Putin is aware of his anger over the situation.
On Thursday, Putin proposed introducing a temporary administration in Ukraine under the supervision of the United Nations.
However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres swiftly rejected the proposal.
Russian officials have frequently challenged Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, arguing that Ukraine has not held elections since his term expired.
Kyiv has maintained that elections cannot be conducted under martial law, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago.
Russia has not immediately responded to Trump’s remarks.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western sanctions, calling them ‘illegal’ and an attempt by the West to gain an economic advantage over Russia.
Trump’s statements followed his meetings with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Saturday.
Stubb proposed setting an April 20 deadline for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, arguing that by then, Trump would have been in office for three months.
US officials have been pushing Kyiv to accept a critical minerals agreement that reportedly demands Ukraine’s natural resources income for years.
Zelenskyy has stated that Kyiv’s lawyers need to review the draft before making a decision.
Last week, Trump imposed a 25 percent secondary tariff on US imports from any country purchasing oil or gas from Venezuela.
His latest comments suggest he could take similar action against US imports from nations buying oil from Russia, a move that could significantly affect China and India.
Trump’s tough stance on Russia contrasts sharply with his previous comments on Zelenskyy and his calls for Ukraine to hold elections despite the ongoing war.
His latest remarks underscore a more aggressive approach toward Russia while maintaining a firm stance on Ukraine’s governance.
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