Trump ‘very unhappy’ with Putin, threatens 100% tariffs
US President Donald Trump on Monday warned that he would slap 100 percent secondary tariffs on Russia after expressing disappointment in President Vladimir Putin over the continuing war in Ukraine.
“I’m disappointed in President Putin because I thought we would have a deal two months ago but it doesn’t seem to get there,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“We’re very, very unhappy with him and we’re going to do severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” he said.
‘Strange’
During talks with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Oval Office, the president noted phone calls with Putin that ended “nice” and then “missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city.”
Trump said the missile barrages were “strange” following the talks with Putin.
“And after that happens three or four times, you say, the talk doesn’t mean anything.”
The secondary tariffs are aimed at Russia’s trading partners—mostly those that buy its oil and natural gas—and intended to isolate Moscow from the global economy.
But before that, the United States has resumed military aid to Ukraine involving European allies.
During the meeting with Rutte, Trump announced that European allies would buy “billions of dollars worth of US military equipment” for transfer to Ukraine.
This aims to deliver more weapons to Ukraine to combat Russian offensives while easing the financial burden on Washington.
Patriots
European nations will “pay for 100 percent of the weapons,” Trump said, with Rutte confirming that countries such as Germany, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are among the initial buyers.
On top of the list are Patriot anti-aircraft and antimissile batteries, crucial since Russia has been attacking Ukraine with missiles and drones.
Germany has reportedly offered two additional Patriot batteries with Greece and Spain having spare systems that could be sent to Ukraine if there is assurance that these could be replaced later.
Rutte indicated that this is “only the first wave” of such support, suggesting more deliveries are coming.
