Trump Says He Is 'Very Angry' at Putin and Threatens Russia with Tariffs
US President Donald Trump said he felt ‘very angry’ and ‘pissed off’ when Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government and proposed to introduce a temporary external administration in Ukraine. He said this on Sunday, NBC News reports.
Recently, Putin proposed to consider the possibility of introducing interim administration in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN and a number of countries to organise elections. In his opinion, only after that it will be possible to start peace talks and sign ‘legitimate documents that will be recognised in the world and will be reliable’.
‘If Russia and I can't agree to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I decide that Russia is to blame - which may not be the case - but if I come to that conclusion, I will impose secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming from Russia,’ Trump said on Sunday.
‘That means that if you buy oil from Russia, you will not be able to do business in the United States. There will be a 25 to 50 per cent tariff on all oil,’ he said.
‘There will be a 25 per cent tariff on oil and other goods sold in the US - these are secondary tariffs,’ Trump added.
According to him, these measures will be introduced within a month if a ceasefire agreement is not reached.
Trump also noted that Putin is aware of his anger. However, according to Trump, he has a ‘very good relationship’ with the Russian leader, and ‘anger dissipates quickly... if he does the right thing.’
As The Gaze reported, during the talks in Saudi Arabia on 23-25 March, the United States, Russia and Ukraine agreed to ban strikes on energy facilities, but this agreement is not being implemented in practice. Russia continues to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv would prepare evidence of Russia's violation of the ceasefire in the energy sector and provide it to the United States, expecting a response.