Donald Trump has expressed he is “extremely upset, irritated” with Vladimir Putin for casting doubt on Ukraine’s leadership.
In a notable shift in his stance towards Moscow, the US president told an NBC reporter he was frustrated with his Russian counterpart for questioning Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s credibility.
“If Russia and I can’t reach an agreement to halt the violence in Ukraine, and if I believe it’s Russia’s responsibility—which may or may not be the case—then I will impose secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming from Russia,” he stated.
Increased sanctions on Russia would mean that if you purchase oil from Russia, you won’t be able to conduct business in the United States,” he explained. “There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, potentially even a 25 to 50-point tariff on all oil.”
Trump mentioned that he intends to have a conversation with Putin in the following week.
He suggested that Putin’s demand for new leadership in Ukraine could postpone a peace agreement. “New leadership indicates that a deal won’t happen for a long time, correct?” he uttered.
“If I feel, and we’re in the midst of negotiations, you could say that I was extremely upset, irritated, when Putin remarked yesterday on Zelenskyy’s credibility, because that’s not a step in the right direction, you understand?”
Trump’s statements follow months of criticism aimed at the administration for yielding to Russian aggression in Ukraine in an effort to end the ongoing three-year conflict. He has previously taken issue with Zelenskyy, expressing dissatisfaction with his management of the war and labeling him a dictator for not calling for new elections.
Trump stated he had communicated with Putin “not long ago” and shared his displeasure, but despite his sentiments, he remarked that he maintained “a very good relationship with him.”
Additionally, Trump utilized his NBC interview to warn of consequences for Iran if they fail to reach an agreement with Washington regarding their nuclear program.
“Should they not come to an agreement, there will be bombing,” he asserted, also mentioning that he would introduce “secondary tariffs.”
