50 Days: US Could Impose “Very Severe Tariffs” on Russia and Its Trading Partners

The tariffs may take effect in 50 days — but only if a peace agreement is not reached between Russia and Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump said during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, Orda.kz reports.

According to the president, the size of the duties could reach 100%. Trump referred to them as “secondary tariffs,” without specifying which countries trading with Russia would be affected. He expressed confidence that both Russia and Ukraine would take steps to resolve the conflict and that new U.S. sanctions would not be necessary.

Trump also claimed he had struck an agreement with Russia on the war in Ukraine “about four times.”

I speak to him [Vladimir Putin] a lot about getting this thing done, and I always hang up and say, ‘Well, that was a nice phone call’, and then missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city. … And after that happens three or four times, you say, the talk doesn’t mean anything. (…) Putin is a tough guy. He fooled Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden — but he didn’t fool me, Trump said.

Trump didn’t appreciate a journalist’s question about how far he was willing to go in the event of further escalation in Ukraine. He asked not to be asked such questions and added that he wants the war to be stopped.

Additionally, during the meeting with Rutte, Trump stated that NATO would coordinate the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. He said that other alliance countries would pay for these weapons and “send them where they are needed.” In response, Rutte thanked Trump, saying that Ukraine would now get the weapons it needs.

When asked whether Kyiv would receive Patriot systems, Trump said that 17 such systems were ready for shipment. He clarified that NATO countries would send their own Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, and the U.S. would then supply those countries with replacements.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko