U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is “pissed off” with Vladimir Putin questioning the legitimacy of Ukraine’s presidency and may impose a 25% tariff on Russian oil if he thinks the Kremlin is stalling on a ceasefire deal.
Trump made the statement in a telephone interview with NBC News on Sunday.
“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 said.
“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” Trump continued. “There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.” He added that the steps would be taken within a month if a ceasefire is not agreed but could come “at any moment.”
The move follows reports on Friday that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, had called for a transitional government in Ukraine, having earlier questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidency in the absence of elections. Elections are suspended in Ukraine due to martial law imposed as a result of the war.
Both Russia and Ukraine reached separate agreements with the U.S. last week on a ceasefire in the Black Sea, but the Kremlin later said it would come into effect only after certain sanctions were lifted.
Trump said he would talk to Putin in the coming week, reiterating that the two heads of state enjoy a “very good relationship.” He said Putin knows he is angry but that “the anger dissipates quickly... if he does the right thing.”
“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 said.
“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” Trump continued. “There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.” He added that the steps would be taken within a month if a ceasefire is not agreed but could come “at any moment.”
The move follows reports on Friday that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, had called for a transitional government in Ukraine, having earlier questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidency in the absence of elections. Elections are suspended in Ukraine due to martial law imposed as a result of the war.
Both Russia and Ukraine reached separate agreements with the U.S. last week on a ceasefire in the Black Sea, but the Kremlin later said it would come into effect only after certain sanctions were lifted.
Trump said he would talk to Putin in the coming week, reiterating that the two heads of state enjoy a “very good relationship.” He said Putin knows he is angry but that “the anger dissipates quickly... if he does the right thing.”
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