President Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of Russia after facing accusations of siding with Vladimir Putin in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. In a recent phone call with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Trump expressed his frustration, saying he was “p*ed off”** by Putin’s comments about Ukrainian elections and questioning the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government.
Trump Blames Putin for Delay in Peace Talks
Despite the U.S. being involved in peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials, Trump made it clear that he holds Putin responsible for any delays or interference in the discussions. He expressed being “very angry” at Putin for his comments about Zelensky and stated that they were “not going in the right direction”.
Trump warned that if a peace deal wasn’t reached, and if he believed Russia was at fault, he would take strong action, including raising tariffs on Russian energy exports.
Trump’s Threat of Secondary Tariffs on Russian Oil
In his interview, Trump said, “If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine… I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil coming out of Russia.” He added that “25% tariff” could be imposed on all Russian oil, making it clear that any country buying oil from Russia would face restrictions on doing business in the United States.
The Ongoing War and Humanitarian Concerns
The ongoing conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, including more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has resumed funding a program aimed at documenting the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children believed to have been abducted by Russian forces during the invasion.
The push for a broader peace agreement remains uncertain, and U.S. officials have stated that both Ukraine and Russia will need to make concessions for a lasting deal to happen.
While it remains unclear whether the Trump administration would force Ukraine to recognize Russia’s control of Crimea, it’s likely that Ukraine might be asked to drop its bid to join NATO, which was previously supported by the U.S. under President Biden.
Trump’s Proposal for Ending the Conflict
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could end the Russia-Ukraine conflict in “24 hours” if elected, thanks to his strong relationship with Putin and his dealmaking abilities. However, the slow progress of peace talks seems to have frustrated Trump, whose relations with Ukraine have also soured.
In a public display of frustration, Trump and Vice President JD Vance once angrily confronted Zelensky during a White House meeting, even calling him a “dictator” on Truth Social.
Trump’s Push for Ukrainian War Debt Deal
Reports indicate that Trump is working on a deal to repay Ukrainian war debt through royalties on Ukrainian energy sales, including oil and gas. This is part of his broader approach to secure the future of Ukraine, under the assumption that Russian officials may hesitate to challenge U.S. economic interests.