Trump Threatens Tariffs on Russian Oil, Slams Putin Over Zelensky Remarks – 

(TJV NEWS) In a dramatic shift in tone, U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, expressing deep frustration over comments questioning the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, AFP reported, citing NBC News.

During a phone call with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Trump said he was “very angry, pissed off” after Putin publicly cast doubt on Zelensky’s leadership and suggested Ukraine might need new leadership to move forward with peace talks. Welker relayed the details of the early-morning call on NBC’s Meet The Press, according to AFP.

Trump warned that if Russia refuses to cooperate in ending the war in Ukraine — now in its fourth year — he would move to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil exports. “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,” Trump reportedly told NBC, “there will be a 25 to 50 percent tariff on all oil coming out of Russia.”

As reported by AFP, Trump has made ending the Ukraine conflict a central focus of his foreign policy agenda since returning to the White House. Yet efforts to secure a truce have stumbled, with Putin recently rejecting a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal and suggesting Zelensky’s removal as part of the resolution process.

Russia’s latest offensive, including a renewed assault on the northeastern city of Kharkiv, has only deepened tensions. Ukraine accuses Moscow of stalling talks while continuing its military aggression, AFP noted.

Although Trump maintains he still has a “very good relationship” with Putin, he emphasized that his anger is real — even if it could “dissipate quickly… if he does the right thing,” AFP reported.

Putin, in power for over two decades, has repeatedly questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, especially since the Ukrainian president’s five-year term officially ended in May 2024. With wartime laws suspending elections, Zelensky has remained in office — a move his domestic critics and Moscow have used to challenge his authority.

Trump himself has been critical of Zelensky, famously calling him a “dictator” during a recent tense exchange at the White House, according to AFP. Despite that, the U.S. has continued to push for an unconditional ceasefire, which Ukraine insists Russia has repeatedly ignored.

“There could already be a ceasefire if there was real pressure on Russia,” Zelensky said in his Saturday address, thanking international partners who have strengthened sanctions on Moscow. Talks earlier this week led to a tentative agreement on a Black Sea truce, but Russia insisted the deal won’t move forward unless certain sanctions are lifted — a condition Ukraine and its allies reject.

In explaining his proposed tariffs, Trump told NBC that countries buying Russian oil would face penalties. “If you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” he said, describing tariffs that could reach up to 50 percent.

The sharp rhetoric underscores the growing strain in U.S.-Russia relations and raises the stakes as the Trump admin