American President Donald Trump delivered his sharpest criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin to date on Sunday, threatening to impose “secondary tariffs” on Russian oil if Moscow undermines ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine.
Trump Considers 25 to 50 Percent Tariffs on Russian Oil
In an interview with “Meet the Press,” Trump stated: “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, I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia.”
Key points from Trump’s statement:
- Tariffs of 25 to 50 percent on Russian oil could be imposed “at any moment”
- Trump plans to speak with Putin this week
- This represents a significant departure from his previous approach to Russia
Since taking office, Trump has declined to acknowledge that Russia started the war and has falsely called Zelensky a “dictator,” but not Putin.
“I’m Very Angry, Pissed Off” About Questioning Zelensky
Trump told the host he is “very angry” at Putin for questioning Zelensky’s credibility and discussing potential new leadership in Ukraine. “New leadership means you’re not going to have a deal for a long time, right?” Trump said.
Current ceasefire status:
- Russia and Ukraine have agreed only to a limited truce
- The agreement falls short of the complete pause in combat sought by the Trump administration
- Ukraine has expressed doubts about the truce being upheld
Broader Strategy of Economic Pressure
Trump’s remarks are the latest example of using economic pressure on third countries. Last week, he issued an executive order targeting countries that purchase Venezuelan oil.
Trump also threatened Iran: “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.” Earlier this month, he sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader urging direct negotiations on the nuclear program.
Experts question whether the US has the capacity to implement new tariff-based sanctions, noting that existing secondary sanctions against Russia and Iran are not well enforced.
