Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Mar 31: US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning of additional oil tariffs if Russia fails to cooperate in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump expressed frustration over Putin’s remarks questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s credibility, saying he was ‘pissed off’ and that such comments were ‘not going in the right location.’
Trump made it clear that if Russia was deemed responsible for stalling a peace deal, he would impose secondary tariffs on all Russian oil exports, similar to the 25% tariff he recently enforced on buyers of Venezuelan oil. He warned that failure to reach an agreement could lead to severe economic consequences, stating, “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— I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia.” He also claimed that Putin is aware of his anger and confirmed that he would be open to a conversation with him this week if Russia made the right moves.
Meanwhile, tensions have risen following Putin’s proposal for a UN-supervised temporary administration in Ukraine, an idea swiftly rejected by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Russian officials have continued to question Zelensky’s legitimacy, pointing out that elections have not been held since his term expired, though Ukraine’s constitution prohibits elections under martial law, which has been in place since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion three years ago.
Amid ongoing diplomatic maneuvering, the US has been pressuring Kyiv to accept a critical minerals agreement, which reportedly seeks control over Ukraine’s natural resources revenue for years. Zelensky has insisted that his legal team needs time to review the deal before making any commitments.
Trump’s latest comments followed discussions with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who proposed setting April 20 as a deadline for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. So far, there has been no official response from Moscow to Trump’s threats, though Russian officials have long denounced Western sanctions as “illegal”, accusing the West of using economic pressure as a tool for geopolitical dominance.