Donald Trump stated on Sunday in an interview with NBC that he was "very angry" and "furious" when Vladimir Putin criticized the authority of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump explained that Putin's comments were "misplaced" and threatened Moscow with consequences if a ceasefire agreement with Kyiv is not concluded within a month due to the Kremlin's fault. The US will impose secondary tariffs on all oil supplied from Russia. "So if you buy oil from Russia, you won't be able to do business with the United States," Trump said, adding that the tariffs could reach 25-50%.
The comments, conveyed by "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker, reflect a conversation that, according to her, took place several hours earlier with Donald Trump and in which he demonstrated growing impatience over the negotiations, writes The New York Times.
Putin called Zelenskyy and the "civil authorities" in Ukraine illegitimate and said that consideration should be given to introducing international governance in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN. This idea was rejected by both the UN and Kyiv. According to Trump, Putin's statements at the moment indicate "moving in the wrong direction".
Trump also announced a new conversation with Putin this week. According to the US President, Putin knows that he is angry, but noted that he has "very good relations with him" and "anger dissipates quickly... if he does the right thing".