‘If I think it’s Russia’s fault…’: Trump threatens 50% tariff on Russian oil, puts pressure on Putin to end Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose significant secondary tariffs on Russian oil buyers unless Moscow cooperates to end the war with Ukraine. Trump said he was "very angry" and "pissed off" after Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's leadership. 

"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 ... I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia," Trump stated.

The proposed tariffs, ranging from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, would impact any country purchasing Russian oil, effectively barring them from doing business in the US. "That would be, that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States," Trump explained. "There will be a 25 per cent tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil." 

This approach would add to existing trade tensions with countries like China and India, who are major importers of Russian crude.

Western allies have grown wary of Trump's initial conciliatory stance towards Russia since taking office. However, his recent remarks reflect a growing impatience with the lack of progress on a ceasefire. Trump added, "I think we are making progress, step by step," despite his anger. The new tariffs could be implemented within a month if no deal is reached. Moscow has yet to respond to these threats.

However, Trump himself had previously criticised Zelenskyy, labelled him a "dictator" and expressed his dissatisfaction with Zelenskyy's handling of the Ukraine conflict. He accused Zelenskyy of "trying to back out of the rare earth deal.... if he’s looking to renegotiate the deal, he’s got big problems." 

The potential tariffs on Russian oil echo Trump's earlier imposition of a 25 per cent secondary tariff on US imports from countries buying oil from Venezuela. Analysts have raised concerns about the feasibility of tracking and enforcing such measures.