U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed strong disapproval of recent remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who suggested the removal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in favor of a transitional government. Trump warned that such statements could disrupt ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump stated his frustration over Putin’s comments, emphasizing their potential to derail peace efforts.
“If I feel we’re in the midst of a negotiation, you could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when Putin started getting into Zelenskyy’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right direction,” Trump said. He further argued that a leadership change in Ukraine would significantly delay any potential peace agreement.
Trump also issued a warning to Moscow, threatening secondary tariffs on Russian oil exports if a ceasefire deal was not reached soon. The proposed tariffs, ranging between 25 percent and 50 percent, would apply to all Russian oil exports and take effect within a month if negotiations fail.
“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 declared. “That would mean if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.”
Trump’s comments come after he previously criticized Zelensky last month, referring to him as a “dictator” and questioning his approval ratings in Ukraine.
As of now, the Kremlin has not responded to Trump’s remarks. However, the U.S. President indicated that he plans to speak with Putin later this week.
