President Donald Trump said he is ‘pissed off’ with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his latest remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying Putin is not taking the right steps toward peace.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump criticized Putin’s comments from Friday, in which the Russian leader suggested that a trans-national government might be necessary for Ukraine. Trump said he is unhappy with Putin’s approach and warned of potential economic consequences if a peace deal is not reached.
“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,” Trump said.
“That would mean if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” he continued. “There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.”
Despite his frustration, Trump said his anger will “dissipate quickly” if Putin “does the right thing.” The two leaders last spoke last week and are scheduled to discuss a possible ceasefire on Tuesday.
Putin, however, has shown no signs of de-escalating. Over the weekend, Russian forces launched several deadly attacks on Ukrainian cities.
In Dnipro, a Russian drone strike killed four people and injured 24 on Friday, according to regional Governor Serhii Lysak. In Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, a Russian ballistic missile left at least eight people injured. In Kharkiv, a massive drone attack on Saturday night killed two people and injured 35 more.
Despite the ongoing violence, Putin praised his military’s actions, calling their advances a “strategic initiative.”
“Our troops, our guys are moving forward and liberating one territory after another, one settlement after another, every day,” Putin said at a public forum on Thursday.
As the conflict intensifies, Zelenskyy is urging Western allies to take stronger action against Russia.
Last week, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of a summit in Paris, where leaders from 30 nations discussed military support for Ukraine. Proposals included deploying European troops in Ukraine alongside a potential ceasefire agreement.
With tensions rising, all eyes are on Trump and Putin’s upcoming talks to see whether diplomatic efforts can curb further escalation.