Trump Threatens Tariffs on Russian Oil Sales Amid Ukraine Conflict
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to impose secondary tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on Russian oil purchasers if he perceives that Russia is hindering his efforts to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to a report by Reuters.
In a recent interview with NBC News, Trump shared his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing himself as “pissed off” due to the slow progress in achieving a ceasefire.
These comments came in response to Putin’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which struck Trump as a direct challenge to his attempts at brokering peace.
“If I can’t reach an agreement with Russia to halt the violence in Ukraine, and I believe the responsibility lies with them, then I will move forward with secondary tariffs on all oil exported from Russia,” Trump declared. He elaborated that such tariffs would mean, “anyone purchasing oil from Russia will be barred from doing business in the United States,” announcing the potential for a “25% to 50% tariff on all oil.” Trump suggested these tariffs could take effect within a month.
While there was no immediate reaction from Moscow, the Russian government has consistently condemned Western sanctions as “illegal” and motivated by economic interests.
During the weekend spent in Florida, Trump mentioned he would be discussing the situation with Putin later this week. The Kremlin has confirmed a couple of public conversations between the leaders in recent months, hinting at more private dialogues. The White House has not disclosed the timing of the upcoming call or whether Trump would also reach out to Zelenskiy.
Trump remains focused on ending what he has termed as a “ridiculous” war, although tangible progress appears limited. Recently, Putin proposed that Ukraine could be temporarily administered to facilitate new elections—a notion that Trump has previously supported.
Trump maintained that while he believes Putin understands his frustrations, he also has a solid working relationship with him. He noted that his anger tends to subside quickly “if he does the right thing.”
This comes amid broader trade tensions, as Trump has already imposed secondary tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil and is contemplating duties on imports from countries with significant trade surpluses, particularly affecting major Russian oil importers like India and China. Additionally, Trump indicated that he might implement similar tariffs on Iranian oil buyers unless Tehran ceases its nuclear weapons initiative.
