Image source, Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via getty images
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The US president, Donald Trump, threatened Russia on Monday with “secondary” tariffs if that country does not reach an agreement that ends the war in Ukraine in the next 50 days.
The president said that he wants the war in Ukraine Themine and is “disappointed” and “very discontent” with Vladimir Putin.
“I thought we would have an agreement two months ago,” he said during a meeting with NATO general, Mark Rutte.
Unlike primary tariffs, which apply directly to a country, secondary tariffs penalize third countries or entities that trade with that country.
According to Trump's announcement, tariffs to countries that trade with Russia would reach 100%. “I hope we don't have to do it,” he added.
For example, if India continues to buy oil from Russia, US companies that buy products from India would have to pay a 100% tariff when products reach the US costs.
On the other hand, Trump said he will send “First” weapons to Ukraine, in coordination with NATO.
“We want to make sure Ukraine can do what he wants to do,” he said.
For several months, USA
At the NATO Summit held in June, it was agreed that all the member countries of that alliance would increase the defense expenditure to 5% of the gross domestic product, as Trump demanded.
In his meeting with Trump this Monday, Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europeans are “redoubled their efforts.”
And he added that Ukraine will have “a really huge amount” of military equipment for his air defense, missiles and ammunition.
“The US is not going to make any payment,” Trump said about the new weapons he will send to Ukraine. “We are going to manufacture them but they are going to pay for them.”
According to the president, the United States manufactures the best teams, the best missiles, “the best everything.”
He also explained that the weapons will be delivered to NATO, which will be in charge of distributing them, and that in some cases the US will be delivered directly to Germany.
Image source, Getty Images
“Thank you for the willingness to support Ukraine and for continuing to work together to stop the deaths and establish a lasting and fair peace,” wrote Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, this Monday on the social network X, where he explained that he had talked with his American counterpart by phone.
“It is important that we have a good relationship and that alliance countries are working to increase defense spending,” he said.
And he added that Ukraine is ready to work “in the most productive way possible” to achieve peace and that he agreed with Trump to catch up “more often by phone” and coordinate the future steps.
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Threats in the midst of negotiations
Trump's intention with his “secondary” tariffs is to harm the Russian economy. In theory, if Moscow could not generate income selling oil to other countries, it would have less money to finance its war in Ukraine.
Since oil and gas represent almost a third of Moscow state revenues and more than 60% of its exports, 100% tariffs could be a hard blow to the country's finances.
Even so, the index of the Moscow Stock Exchange rose considerably after the announcement, probably because investors expected Trump, which last week had advanced that he would make an “important statement” about Russia, announced even more hard measures.
The threat of more Trump tariffs and the announcement of more weapons for Ukraine arrives after two rounds of negotiations of a possible ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
In his statements, however, Trump made clear his frustration with which the negotiations have not yet produced fruits.
He said that, on at least four occasions, he believed that they had reached an agreement, but “here we are still speaking” while Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are still dying.
Trump said his conversations with Putin are frequent and pleasant, but that “they mean nothing” if the missiles continue to fall in Ukraine.
“At a certain point, words are no longer useful, you have to go to action,” he concluded.
In line with Trump, Rutte said: “If I were Vladimir Putin … I would reconsider if I should not take the negotiations about Ukraine more seriously.”
The Kremlin did not immediately react to Trump's ads.
Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev said, however: “If this is all Trump had to say today about Ukraine, it has been a lot of noise and few nuts.”
In 50 days they can change many things “both on the battlefield and in the mood of the United States and NATO,” Kosachev wrote.
Before the ads of the US President, a Kremlin spokesman had said that it was “very important” that the US mediation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continued.
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