President Donald Trump has sharply rebuked Russian President Vladimir Putin for stalling ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine, threatening sweeping secondary tariffs on Russian oil exports if peace is not reached soon.
In a fiery phone interview with NBC News, Trump said he was “very angry” and “pissed off” at Putin after the Russian leader questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s credibility—a rare shift in tone after weeks of public alignment with the Kremlin.
“You could say I was pissed off when Putin got into Zelensky’s credibility. That’s not the right direction,” Trump said. “New leadership means you won’t have a deal for a long time.”
Trump, who has often publicly criticized Zelensky, previously demanded major concessions from Ukraine in exchange for U.S. support. But his latest comments indicate a growing frustration with Moscow’s delay in peace talks.
The former president threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Russian goods sold in the U.S., and secondary tariffs up to 50% on any country that continues buying Russian oil—mainly targeting major importers like China and India.
“If we don’t get a deal, I’m putting tariffs on every barrel of oil that comes from Russia through other countries. It’ll happen in a month,” Trump warned.
The stark warning came after Putin floated the idea of a UN-led transitional government in Ukraine to pave the way for elections and peace talks—an idea swiftly rejected by Kyiv. Zelensky responded online, accusing Russia of playing the same “delay game” it has since 2014.
Meanwhile, Trump continued to cast doubt on Ukraine’s loyalty to U.S. interests, suggesting Zelensky was trying to renegotiate a minerals deal originally set for signing in February. “If he tries to back out, he’s got problems,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.
Trump also reiterated that Ukraine would not be joining NATO, saying, “He understands that. It’s not happening.”
Despite his anger, Trump softened toward Putin later in the interview. “I’ve known him a long time. We’ve always gotten along. The anger goes away—if he does the right thing,” he said, adding that the two plan to speak again later this week.
Beyond Ukraine, Trump reignited tension with Iran, threatening “bombing like they’ve never seen” if the regime refuses to return to nuclear talks. He also left the door open for a potential third term in office—despite constitutional limits—stating, “A lot of people want me to do it.”
With Ukraine’s war nearing its fourth year and over 100,000 Russian and 43,000 Ukrainian military deaths reported, global attention is now fixed on whether Trump’s threats will force Putin’s hand—or further escalate the conflict
