Trump criticizes Putin’s remarks on Zelensky, warns of tariffs on Russian oil if no ceasefire deal is reached, and plans to speak with Putin soon.

United States President Donald Trump has expressed strong displeasure over recent remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticizing his call for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be removed in favor of a transitional government.

During an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump made it clear that he was frustrated by Putin’s comments, emphasizing that such actions could derail the ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He argued that Putin’s statement, which questioned Zelensky’s credibility, was a significant setback to the peace process.

“If I feel we’re in the midst of a negotiation, you could say that I was very angry, pissed off, when Putin started getting into Zelenskyy’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right direction,” Trump stated. He further elaborated, “New leadership means you’re not gonna have a deal for a long time.”

In addition to his criticism of Putin’s remarks, Trump issued a stern warning, threatening to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil if a ceasefire deal was not reached. The proposed tariffs, which could range from 25 percent to 50 percent on all Russian oil exports, would be enforced within a month if no agreement was made to halt the ongoing conflict.

“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 — which it might not be — but 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 clarified the potential consequences, stating, “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.”

Trump’s comments come after he previously criticized Ukrainian leadership, particularly Zelensky, last month. At the time, he referred to Zelensky as a “dictator” and questioned his approval ratings within Ukraine.

As of now, Moscow has not responded to Trump’s latest remarks. However, Trump indicated that he expects to speak with Putin later this week regarding the matter.