Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Trump Says Patience Wearing Thin with Putin


(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric on Friday, signaling growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Trump warned that his tolerance for the war's continuation is “running out and running out fast.”

In a candid interview with media, Trump stated, “We’re going to have to come down very, very strong. It’s the only way.” He elaborated that this would likely involve severe economic pressure, including "hitting very hard with sanctions to banks and having to do with oil and tariffs."

The former president expressed frustration with the lack of progress on peace efforts, noting that both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have shown hesitation to engage in talks. “It’s amazing, when Putin wants to do it, Zelenskyy didn’t. When Zelenskyy wanted to do it, Putin didn’t. Now Zelenskyy wants to, and Putin is a question mark,” he commented.

Trump also pointed to previous actions taken to dissuade countries like India from purchasing Russian oil, revealing that he imposed a 50% tariff on oil imports from India. “India was their biggest customer. I put a 50% tariff on India because they’re buying oil from Russia. That’s not an easy thing to do. That’s a big deal, and it causes a rift with India,” he said.

The remarks come amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO-member Poland, which reported Wednesday that its airspace had been violated by drones during overnight airstrikes between Russia and Ukraine. Polish officials labeled the incursion an “act of aggression.”

In response, Russia’s Defense Ministry denied any intention to strike Polish territory, insisting the targets of the attacks were military-industrial sites in western Ukraine, specifically in Kyiv's defense sector.

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