US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Russia, threatening new tariffs on its oil exports if he believes Moscow is hindering efforts to end the war in Ukraine. In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump stated he was “pissed off” at Russian President Vladimir Putin and growing impatient over the lack of progress towards 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 ... I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump declared. He explained that this would mean, “if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” adding that tariffs would range between 25% and 50%.
Trump said he could enforce these measures within a month. There was no immediate response from Moscow, though Russian officials have consistently argued that Western sanctions are “illegal” and primarily serve to advance economic competition.
Trump, who spent the weekend in Florida, confirmed he intends to speak with Putin in the coming days. The Kremlin has acknowledged two recent public calls between the leaders but suggested that private discussions may have occurred as well.
The White House has not confirmed when the call will take place or whether Trump will also speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Since taking office in January, Trump has sought to broker an end to what he calls a “ridiculous” war, but he has seen little progress. Putin recently proposed placing Ukraine under temporary administration to facilitate new elections, an idea Trump has previously entertained.
Trump acknowledged his frustration but maintained, “I have a very good relationship with [Putin],” adding that his anger “dissipates quickly ... if he does the right thing.”
His latest tariff threats come amid a broader crackdown on trade. Last week, he imposed a 25% secondary tariff on US imports from countries buying Venezuelan oil. His remarks suggest he could extend similar measures to countries purchasing Russian crude—a move that could severely impact India and China, the largest buyers of Russian oil.
Additionally, Trump signalled that he might introduce secondary sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil unless Tehran agrees to a deal to halt its nuclear weapons programme.