Trump was unhappy with Putin at the possibility of a stagnant tactic

President Donald Trump has lost the patience of Russia's Vladimir Putin. It may turn out to be nothing more than a Russian stall tactic of the small step towards Ukraine's peace after previous consultations.

On Friday, the Russian president called for the current Ukraine government to be replaced with “interim governance” led by the UN. Putin implied that the proposal is a way for Russia to negotiate with legitimate leadership. He said the reasons for the proposal were:

There, to bring in a capable government that is trusted by the people in order to hold democratic elections. We will then discuss a legitimate peace treaty and signature documents that are recognized worldwide, reliable and stable.

Trump, who promised during his reelection campaign to mediate peace in war-torn regions of Eastern Europe, is not pleased with Putin's latest comments. On Sunday, he told NBC he was “offended” at the Russian leader. He also threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil if the transaction was not reached.

“Divineer” Zelensky

The US president said he was very angry when President Putin began questioning the credibility of Ukraine's Voldimir Zelensky. But Trump himself calls the Ukrainian leader a dictator. Perhaps because he has served as president after the end of his five-year term that began in 2019.

Ukraine has been under martial law since the May 2024 presidential election was postponed due to war. Some critics, including those who have worked near Zelensky, say the Ukrainian leader has become obsessed with maintaining power and is working hard to ensure he does so. Trump has said Zelensky has a very low approval rating, and highlights Putin's recent comments that he wants to deal with Ukrainian leaders as “they are trusted by the people.”

Will there be more tariffs?

Nevertheless, Trump shows he is ready to stop playing with Putin. On Sunday, he threatened to impose even more tariffs on Russia. He said on an early morning call with NBC News on Sunday:

If Russia and I can't get a contract to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it's Russia's fault, it may not be, but if I think it's Russia's fault, I'd be putting secondary tariffs on oil.

Finland President Alexander Stubb confirms Trump's frustration with Putin. Stubb, who played with Trump in the golf tournament on Saturday, told the US president he couldn't trust Putin. He told reporters:

He (Trump) is extremely anxious about Russia's actions and procrastination against this kind of plot and ceasefire. I tried to explain this to be a completely normal Russian activity. First, something is negotiated – and the conditions are set again.

Trump's complaints come after two major talks with Moscow in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After talks, Russia and Ukraine said they had agreed to stop airstrikes on each other's energy infrastructure. The strike continues, although lower.

Trump has not elaborated on how secondary tariffs on Russian oil work, but his comments come after he said earlier this month that he will level out secondary tariffs in countries that buy oil or gas from Venezuela. These tariffs will be added to existing obligations, including the 20% tariffs imposed in China this year, up to a 25% adjustment. That means a 45% tariff on China, the third largest trading partner in the United States.

Such a move in Russia could have a major impact on the global market. Russia is one of the top oil producers. The energy sector in Russia serves as the backbone of the country's economy. Oil and gas revenues have in recent years contributed more than a third of Russia's federal budget.

Trump to negotiators

Trump told NBC News he plans to talk to Putin later this week. He also confused his previously harsh tone, saying he did not believe that the Russian leader would “go back to his words.” According to reports, Putin said on his side he was “still open” to talking to Trump.

Meanwhile, Zelensky is about to retreat from the mineral trade Trump is trying to imprint on Ukraine as a recall of the billions the US has given towards war efforts, according to the US president. Zelensky wants to renegotiate the deal and become a NATO member. “If he did, he'd have some big problems,” Trump added, “he never would have been a NATO member.”