Trump Says He Is 'Pissed Off' At Putin's Remarks On Zelenskyy, Threatens Additional Tariffs On Russian Oil
Trump responded with anger on Vladimir Putin's remarks questioning Zelenskyy's credibility and calling for fresh elections in Ukraine, as the US pushes for a speedy end to the war.
US President Donald Trump said he was “very angry" and “pissed off" at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent remarks on Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid efforts to halt the three-year war and threatened additional tariffs on Russian oil.
Putin on Friday called for a “transitional administration" to be put in place in Ukraine and vowed his army would “finish off" Ukrainian troops amid negotiations to achieve a ceasefire. He called for a temporary government in Ukraine to allow for new elections in the country.
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In an interview with NBC News, Trump said Putin’s remarks were “not going in the right location" as the war continued. “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," he added.
“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 on all oil."
Trump also said he was “very angry, pissed off" over Putin’s recent comments about Zelenskyy’s credibility and talking about new leadership in Ukraine. The US President has been pushing for a speedy end to the war, but his administration has failed to reach a breakthrough despite talks with both sides.
Trump told NBC that Putin knows he is angry, but said that he has “a very good relationship with him" and “the anger dissipates quickly… if he does the right thing."
What Did Putin Say About Zelenskyy?
Trump’s latest remarks came after Trump previously criticised Zelenskyy, saying he was “sick" of his handling of the war. The two leaders had an ugly spat at the White House last month, and Trump had earlier called the Ukrainian leader a “dictator".
Putin had earlier called for fresh elections in Ukraine, and that the new regime would be “trusted by the people" and that peace negotiations could be held with the administration. He said that the current Ukrainian authorities are illegal as the elections were not held in the country after the end of Zelenskyy’s term last year.
“This would be in order to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people and then to start talks with them about a peace treaty, to sign legitimate documents that will be recognised worldwide," Putin said.
“If he himself (Zelenskyy) is illegitimate, then all the others are too," Putin said at a Arctic forum on Friday, while issuing a public call for Ukraine’s generals to topple Zelenskyy, whom Putin has repeatedly denigrated as a neo-Nazi and drug addict.
Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Blocking Ceasefire
Earlier, Putin rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional and full ceasefire, and has been accused by Ukraine of dragging out talks with Washington with no intention of halting its offensive.
“For too long now, America’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has been on the table without an adequate response from Russia," Zelenskyy said in his evening address on Saturday. “There could already be a ceasefire if there was real pressure on Russia."
Warming ties between Washington and Moscow since Trump’s return to office and his threats to stop supporting Kyiv have bolstered Russia on the battlefield as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine.
However, both Moscow and Kyiv agreed to the concept of a Black Sea truce following talks with US officials earlier this week, but Russia said the deal would not enter into force until Ukraine’s allies lifted certain sanctions.
(with inputs from agencies)
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