U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with Russia, threatening steep secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil if Moscow obstructs efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. In a phone interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump expressed frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent skepticism of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy's credibility, declaring he could impose 25% to 50% tariffs within a month.
Ceasefire Deadline Proposed
Finnish President Alexander Stubb reportedly urged Trump during a Florida meeting to set an April 20 deadline for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. This aligns with Trump's self-imposed three-month timeline to broker peace since taking office in January. Meanwhile, U.S. officials are negotiating a critical minerals agreement with Ukraine that could grant Washington oversight of Kyiv's natural resource revenues—a proposal Zelenskyy's administration is still reviewing.
Economic Maneuvers and Global Impacts
As geopolitical pressures mount, Putin has proposed joint rare earth metal exploration with the U.S., while Moscow and Washington have reportedly begun preliminary talks on resource partnerships. Analysts warn Trump's tariff threats could destabilize global markets, with former U.S. Commerce official William Reinsch noting implementation challenges, including tracking oil buyers.
This comes as Trump expands secondary tariffs:
25% levy on countries purchasing Venezuelan oil (imposed last week)
Potential sanctions on Iranian oil buyers if nuclear talks stall
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran remains open to indirect negotiations but insists on U.S. confidence-building measures first.
