Trump said he‘d impose sanctions ’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.’
President Donald Trump said on March 30 that he would levy secondary tariffs of 25 to 50 percent on all Russian oil, which could start within a month, if he thinks the nation is hindering his efforts to end the war with Ukraine or tries to prevent a cease-fire.
In a Sunday phone interview with NBC News, of which the audio or full transcript hasn’t yet been released, Trump said he was angry when Russian President Vladimir Putin called into question the credibility of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s leadership. Trump said he planned to speak with the Russian president this week.
The White House reposted the NBC report on the call. The Epoch Times has made a request for a transcript of the interview.
During his campaign last year, Trump repeatedly promised to stop what he has described as a “ridiculous” war in Ukraine, directing significant attention to the issue since assuming office in January.
He has also called for new elections in Ukraine and, at one point, referred to Zelenskyy, who was elected as president in 2019, as a dictator, criticizing Ukraine’s imposition of martial law and suspension of elections during its defense against Russian invasion.
On Friday, Putin, who does not acknowledge Zelenskyy’s presidency as legitimate, said Ukraine should be put under a form of temporary administration to grant new elections and the signing of key accords, which could effectively oust Zelenskyy from power.
“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 … I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump reportedly told NBC News on Sunday.
“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States. There will be a 25 percent tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.”
The tariffs on Russian oil will be imposed within a month if no cease-fire deal is reached, Trump added, according to the NBC report.
By Jacob Burg
