U.S. President Donald Trump is “p***ed off” with Vladimir Putin and is threatening to cripple Russia’s economy if the Kremlin continues to stall on peace talks with Ukraine. His heated remarks come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urges the U.S. to “force Russia into peace” and take immediate action to end the war.
Trump, known for his blunt rhetoric, lashed out at Putin during an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker. He expressed frustration over Putin’s latest remarks questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader. “If we’re in the middle of negotiations and Putin starts talking about needing new leadership in Ukraine, that’s not helping,” Trump said.
The U.S. president also issued a direct warning to Moscow, promising to impose harsh economic sanctions if Russia continues to delay peace efforts. Among the proposed measures is a massive 25% to 50% tariff on Russian oil. Trump also declared that any country purchasing Russian oil could face severe trade restrictions with the United States.
Following Trump’s fiery statement, Zelensky took to social media platform X to emphasize the urgency of the situation. “Russia is stalling and looking for excuses to drag this war out even longer. Putin has been playing this game since 2014, and it’s dangerous for everyone,” Zelensky wrote. He called on the U.S., Europe, and global allies to take decisive action to force Russia into peace and secure lasting security guarantees for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate. Russian forces have advanced deeper into Ukrainian territory, capturing villages in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk. Reports indicate that Putin is relocating thousands of Russian citizens into occupied Ukrainian cities, a move likened to “ethnic cleansing.”
The situation remains volatile as peace negotiations, once appearing promising, now seem to be crumbling. Trump has reiterated that his relationship with Putin remains “good,” but he made it clear that if a deal isn’t reached, Moscow will face severe consequences.
With Trump set to unveil new rounds of tariffs as part of his so-called ‘Liberation Day’ economic strategy, the world watches closely to see whether his threats will push Russia toward a resolution—or further escalate the conflict.
