US President Donald Trump said in an interview with “NBC News“ that he was “very angry“ and “furious“ when he learned that Russian President Vladimir Putin had criticized the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and added that these comments “were not in the right direction“, BTA reports.
World agencies reported on Friday that Putin believes that Ukraine should be placed under the rule of a transitional government, which would effectively mean the overthrow of Zelensky.
“If Russia and I cannot make a deal to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, and I believe that it is Russia's fault – "and it may not be, but if I determine that it is Russia's fault, I will impose secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil from Russia," Trump said in a telephone interview with American television today.
“This would mean that if you buy oil from Russia, you will not be able to do business in the United States“, he explained. There will be “a 25% to 50% tariff on all oil“, he added.
These comments by the American president come against the backdrop of his recent criticism of Zelensky, whom he called a “dictator”, NBC News notes.
Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a top foreign policy priority and has organized meetings between American, Ukrainian and Russian officials in the first months of his second term. Last week, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a partial ceasefire covering shipping in the Black Sea and attacks on energy infrastructure.
Trump has said that tariffs against Russia could be imposed within a month if a ceasefire deal is not reached. He said Putin knows he is angry, but the two presidents have a "very good relationship" and "anger dissipates quickly ... if he does the right thing."
The US president also said he would speak to Putin again this week.
During another interview with CNBC last night, Trump threatened to "bomb" Iran and impose "secondary tariffs" if the Islamic Republic does not make a deal with the US that ensures it does not develop nuclear weapons. "This will be a bombing campaign like they've never seen before," he said.
According to Trump, US and Iranian officials are "holding talks."
However, in a statement today, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he rejects direct negotiations with the US over his country's nuclear programme.