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On Sunday, former US President Donald Trump expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for delaying ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine. Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil if no agreement is reached. These remarks highlighted the White House’s dissatisfaction with the ongoing discussions involving Russia, which have yet to achieve a decisive outcome.
Trump’s new threat to implement tariffs on imports from nations buying Russian oil comes as he prepares to impose tariffs on goods from several major US trading partners. These actions, scheduled for Wednesday, have been described by Trump as “liberation day,” though they have caused market instability and concern among businesses and governments worldwide.
In a shift from previous statements, Trump criticized Putin for questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy. In an interview with NBC News, Trump expressed his anger over Putin’s comments, stating that such actions were counterproductive to negotiations.
While Ukraine has agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire as demanded by the US, Russia has only consented to a truce targeting energy infrastructure and maritime operations in the Black Sea, contingent upon the lifting of certain sanctions. Zelenskyy has accused Russia of violating the energy ceasefire on two occasions, emphasizing the need to pressure Russia into peace.
During a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Finnish President Alexander Stubb observed that Trump was losing patience with Putin’s stance on the ceasefire. Stubb, in London for discussions with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, expressed optimism about the progress being made.
In a phone conversation on Sunday evening, UK Prime Minister Starmer updated Trump about discussions held in Paris involving over 30 nations supporting Kyiv. They agreed on maintaining collective pressure on Putin and discussed an economic deal between the US and the UK.
Stubb suggested setting an April 20 deadline for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, coinciding with the Easter celebrations of both western and eastern Christian churches. He asserted that Russia appeared to be stalling and advocated for a decisive approach to forcing peace, a sentiment echoed by Zelenskyy in his communication with Stubb.
Trump has previously warned Russia of tariffs and sanctions should they not reach an agreement. He now plans to extend these threats to countries buying Russian oil, potentially increasing pressure on Putin. Trump stated that failure to reach a deal would result in secondary sanctions on Russia and additional tariffs on those purchasing Russian oil. He also mentioned potential tariffs on Iran if they fail to agree on their nuclear program, reiterating a threat of military action against Tehran.
