Trump threatens sweeping tariffs on Russia if Putin refuses to stop ‘ridiculous’ Ukraine war
Russia had denied such reports of private conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as “pure fiction” and “false information”.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to make a “deal” to stop the “ridiculous” war in Ukraine and threatened to impose “high levels” of tariffs on “anything being sold by Russia to the United States and other countries”.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, the US president also emphasised his long-standing admiration for the Russian people and his past positive relationship with Putin.
“I'm not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin - and this despite the Radical Left's Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process. All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big favour,” Trump said.
"Settle now, and stop this ridiculous war! It's only going to get worse. If we don't make a "deal," and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It's time to 'make a deal.' No more lives should be lost," Trump added.
Russia denies reports of talks
In November, The Washington Post reported that Trump spoke with Putin in a private telephone conversation from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It also claimed, without details, that Trump “briefly raised the issue of land” occupied by Russia in Ukraine.
Russia had denied such reports on ending the Ukraine war. Kremlin had called the reports claiming such talks post Trump's election victory as “pure fiction” and “false information”.
During the election campaign, Trump claimed that he would have never allowed the war to begin if he had been the US president and also insisted on bringing a quick end to the war. He had also questioned Washington's multi-billion dollar support for Kyiv, a vital lifeline for Ukraine to sustain fighting.
Trump and his campaign had alleged that continued US aid for Ukraine helps fund a “corrupt” pro-war nexus of defence companies and foreign policy hawks in the Biden administration.
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