Trump threatens secondary tariffs on Russian oil if no deal on Ukraine

Donald Trump expressed frustration with Vladimir Putin over stalled ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, warning that buyers of Russian oil could face secondary tariffs if no agreement is reached.

Speaking on Sunday, Trump’s remarks signaled growing impatience within the White House as efforts to broker a resolution to the war in Ukraine drag on without a breakthrough.

The U.S. president’s latest threat to penalize countries purchasing Russian oil comes just ahead of new tariffs set to be imposed on Wednesday against several key American trading partners. Trump has declared the day “liberation day,” though the impending tariffs have unsettled markets and raised concerns among global businesses and governments.

Trump’s criticism of Moscow marks a shift in stance, as he had previously blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being unwilling to compromise.

He also rebuked Putin for undermining Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader.

“If we’re negotiating, then I was really angry, pissed off… when Putin started questioning Zelenskyy’s credibility,” Trump told NBC News. “That’s not how we move forward, you understand?”

While Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire, Russia has refused the proposal, only agreeing to limit attacks on energy infrastructure and maritime operations in the Black Sea—contingent on the West lifting certain sanctions on agricultural exports.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of violating the energy ceasefire at least twice since its implementation. “Russia must be pressured into peace—only strong measures will work,” he said over the weekend.

Finland’s president Alexander Stubb, who met Trump for seven hours at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday—including a round of golf—told the Financial Times that Trump is growing impatient with Putin’s delay tactics.

“I think we’re heading in the right direction,” said Stubb, who is set to brief UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Monday about his discussions with Trump.

Stubb suggested setting April 20 as a deadline for an unconditional 30-day truce on land, sea, and air, noting that the date aligns with Easter celebrations in both Western and Eastern Christian traditions.

“The Russians keep stalling, introducing new demands,” Stubb said. “It’s time to call Putin’s bluff—Russia doesn’t want peace right now. So we must enforce peace upon them.”

Trump has previously warned Russia of additional sanctions and tariffs if it resists a deal, but extending economic pressure to third-party buyers of Russian oil marks a significant escalation.

“If an agreement isn’t reached, and I believe Russia is to blame, I will impose secondary sanctions on them,” Trump told NBC.

He did not clarify the full scope of the plan but stated, “Anyone buying oil from Russia will be barred from selling any product, not just oil, in the U.S.,” adding that he would introduce a “25 to 50-point tariff on all oil.”

Trump also issued a warning to Iran, saying he would impose secondary tariffs if they failed to reach a deal on their nuclear program, reiterating his threat to “bomb” Tehran if negotiations falter.