President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, threatening sweeping new tariffs and sanctions on Russian oil if he determines that Moscow is responsible for stalling peace efforts in Ukraine.
Speaking in a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said he is “very angry” and “pissed off” over the lack of progress in negotiations to end the two-year-old war in Ukraine, and indicated that his patience with Putin is wearing thin.
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“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.
He also floated a broad energy sanctions package that would impose tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on all oil, targeting not just Russia but potentially any country purchasing Russian crude.
“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” Trump said. “There will be a 25% tariff on all oil — a 25- to 50-point tariff.”
Trump’s comments follow a partial ceasefire agreement reached last week between Russia and Ukraine, which allowed access to the Black Sea and paused attacks on energy infrastructure. While seen as a limited step toward de-escalation, the deal has not halted hostilities entirely, and both sides remain far apart on key political terms.
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Putin on Friday proposed a “transitional government” in Ukraine, a move widely seen as a bid to install a Kremlin-friendly leadership structure in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials rejected the proposal as a nonstarter, while Trump said the comments were “not going in the right location.”
Trump confirmed he will have another direct conversation with Putin this week as he seeks to broker a broader peace settlement and fulfill one of his key foreign policy promises since returning to the White House: ending the war in Ukraine.
“We’ve made some progress, but I’m not happy with where we are right now,” Trump said. “And if this turns out to be on Russia, there are going to be very, very severe consequences.”
Trump’s threat to slap secondary sanctions and steep tariffs on Russian oil could have global economic implications, as European and Asian nations continue to rely on Russian energy, despite Western sanctions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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Experts warn such a move could rattle oil markets, further strain U.S. ties with countries still importing Russian crude, and send energy prices soaring. However, Trump argues that the financial pressure is necessary to force Putin to the negotiating table.
The proposed measures would mirror “secondary sanctions” the U.S. has used in the past to isolate countries like Iran and North Korea, penalizing third-party nations or companies that conduct business with sanctioned entities.
The White House is expected to release additional details about potential tariffs and sanctions in the coming days. Congressional leaders from both parties have so far remained quiet on Trump’s latest threat, though national security advisers are reportedly preparing options for economic enforcement if peace talks collapse.
Trump has made it clear: if Russia is seen as the barrier to peace, he is ready to take dramatic action.
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