There seem to be cracks in the ‘friendship’ between the two leaders
Donald Trump has voiced his anger towards Vladimir Putin – a major shift from the softer approach the US president has taken in ongoing talks to end the war in Ukraine.
He threatened the Kremlin with his weapon of choice – secondary tariffs of 25% to 50% on all Russian oil if his efforts to negotiate a ceasefire deal are thwarted.
Putin rejected a US-Ukrainian plan for a 30-day ceasefire, and suggested that Volodymyr Zelensky be removed from office as part of the process.
In response, Trump told NBC News: ‘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.
‘That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the US.
‘There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.’
The US president said the tariffs would come within a month if a deal is not reached.
He also stressed that he is ‘very angry’ and ‘pissed off’ over Putin’s recent attack on his Ukrainian counterpart, suggesting that Ukraine should implement a transitional government as any part of a deal, effectively pushing the war leader out of power.
Trump said that such comments were ‘not going in the right location’ for peace talks.
He further announced plans to speak with Putin this week and stressed their ‘very good relationship’, quickly adding that ‘anger dissipates quickly … if he does the right thing.’
There are fears the Russian president is ‘dragging out’ the invasion after Zelensky told European leaders at a summit in Paris that Russia ‘doesn’t want any kind of peace”
Since entering the White House, Trump has been pushing for a speedy end to the more than three-year war and holding meetings with both Russian and Ukrainian officials to facilitate it.
After all, the politician repeatedly touted that he would achieve a ceasefire on his first day in office during his campaign trail.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
