US prepared to impose heavy tariffs on Russia: Trump at UNGA says Ukraine war "not making Russia look good"

New York [US], September 23 (ANI): Speaking at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, US President Donald Trump warned that he was prepared to impose heavy tariffs on Russia if it refused to end the war in Ukraine, adding that Russia’s war in Ukraine is “not making Russia look good.”

“In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs,” Trump said.

referred repeatedly to the conflict in Ukraine, reflecting on his past ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump remarked that he initially believed it would be easier to end the war, explaining that his relationship with Putin “had always been a good one.” He went on to criticise Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine, stating that Russia’s war is “not making Russia look good.”

Trump’s stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Ukraine war has undergone a significant shift. Initially, Trump praised Putin as a “tough leader” and “brilliant guy,” even vowing to end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office. However, as the war persists, Trump’s tone has changed, reflecting growing frustration with Putin’s actions.

Trump has publicly criticised Putin, calling him “crazy” and expressing disappointment with his handling of the Ukraine war. Trump issued ultimatums to Putin, demanding an end to the war within specific timeframes (50 days, previously 24 hours and 100 days), threatening sanctions and increased military aid to Ukraine.

Trump’s administration has resumed arms transfers to Ukraine, explored aggressive economic sanctions, and pressured European allies to stop buying Russian oil.

Meanwhile, Putin’s intensified attacks on Ukraine, despite Trump’s peace efforts, have contributed to Trump’s frustration.

His UN comments followed remarks made two days earlier at the American Cornerstone Institute’s Founders Dinner at Mount Vernon on September 21, where he connected energy policy with prospects for ending the war.

“… That (oil drilling) will automatically stop the war with Russia and Ukraine; you get the prices down a little bit more, that’s got to stop it. I am very disappointed in President Putin. Anywhere between 5000-7000 people are dying every week…” Trump said.

Reiterating his criticism of Moscow, Trump later added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “let me down” for not stopping the war with Ukraine during his state visit to Britain.

“He has let me down. I mean, he’s killing many people and he’s losing more people than he’s, you know, than he’s killing. I mean, frankly, Russian soldiers are being killed at a higher rate than the Ukrainian soldiers,” Trump said at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Expanding on his position, Trump confessed that even though he thought that the Russia-Ukraine war would be the “easiest” one to solve, it was not the case.

He further insisted that the conflict would not have started had he remained in office. “This was a thing that would have never happened had I been president. If I were president, it would have never happened. And it didn’t happen for four years,” Trump asserted. “Most people agree it didn’t happen, nor was it close to happening.”

Trump also recalled his past diplomatic outreach, noting that despite a summit with Putin in Alaska, during which he urged the Russian president to hold talks with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, a peace deal did not materialise.

The war has continued since then. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin declaring the aim was to “demilitarise and denazify” the country.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which began in 2014 with Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, has now stretched into its second decade.

Since the escalation in 2022, Ukraine has launched counteroffensives in the south and northeast, regaining territory, while Russia has seized areas including Mariupol and made advances in Donetsk and Luhansk. In August 2024, Ukraine mounted an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, capturing territory and prisoners. (ANI)

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