From the BBC:
“Trump 'very angry' with Putin
over ceasefire negotiations”
Donald Trump has said he is
"very angry" and "pissed off" with Russian President
Vladimir Putin after weeks of attempting to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. In
an NBC News interview, the US president said he was angry with Putin for
attacking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's credibility, and threatened
to impose a 50% tariff on countries buying Russian oil if he did not agree to a
ceasefire. "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... I am going to put secondary tariffs... on all oil coming out of
Russia," he said. The comments mark a shift in Trump's tone toward Putin
and Russia. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
European leaders had worried that
Trump was cosying up to Putin as negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine
continued. For the past six weeks, Trump has harangued Zelensky in the Oval
Office and demanded numerous concessions from Ukraine's president. In turn, he
has flattered Putin and largely given in to the Russian president's demands. This
appears to be a departure from that dynamic. It is the first time the US has
seriously threatened Russia with consequences for dragging its feet in
ceasefire negotiations, which would seem to put the diplomatic ball back in
Moscow's court. NBC News reported that, in a 10-minute phone interview, Trump
said he was very angry and "pissed off" when Putin criticised the
credibility of Zelensky's leadership, although the president has himself called
Ukraine's leader a dictator and demanded that he hold elections. "You
could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when... Putin started getting into
Zelensky's credibility, because that's not going in the right location,"
Trump said. "New leadership means you're not gonna have a deal for a long
time," he added. Trump said that the Russians knew of his anger, but noted
that he had "a very good relationship" with Putin and "the anger
dissipates quickly... if he does the right thing". If Russia does not
follow through with a ceasefire, Trump threatened to target its economy further
if he thought it was Putin's fault. "There will be a 25% tariff on oil and
other products sold in the United States, secondary tariffs," Trump said,
noting that the tariffs on Russia would come in a month without a ceasefire
deal. Secondary tariffs could constitute up to 50% on goods entering the US
from countries still buying oil from Russia. The biggest such buyers by a long
margin are China and India. Trump said he would speak to Putin later in the
week.
^ The Orange Man is "very
angry" that his Master Putin doesn't want a Ceasefire in Ukraine.
He's starting to realize what the
rest of us have known since 2014.
I guess Trump’s Appeasement of
Putin isn’t working. ^
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