United States President Donald Trump has issued a press release threatening Russia with tariffs and sanctions, amid accusations that he favours Moscow over the nation it has invaded, Ukraine.
On his Reality Social platform on Friday, Trump averted condemning Russia’s invasion, which has been denounced as an unjustified crime of aggression beneath the United Nations Constitution.
As a substitute, he centered on Russia’s newest bombardment, which occurred simply days after the US introduced it might briefly cease sharing navy intelligence with Ukraine.
“Primarily based on the truth that Russia is totally ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield proper now, I’m strongly contemplating giant scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia till a Stop Hearth and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,” Trump wrote.
“To Russia and Ukraine, get to the desk proper now, earlier than it’s too late. Thanks!!!”
Trump has repeatedly acknowledged his purpose of serving as a “peacemaker” and “mediator” between Russia and Ukraine, the latter of which has been heading off a full-scale invasion since February 2022.
However Trump has more and more criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whereas displaying an affinity for his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
Later, in a Friday information convention on the White Home, Trump described negotiations with Russia as “simpler” than related discussions with Ukraine.
“I’m discovering it harder, frankly, to take care of Ukraine, and so they don’t have the playing cards,” Trump mentioned. “It could be simpler coping with Russia.”
A historical past of rigidity
Tensions with Zelenskyy began to re-emerge shortly after Trump took workplace for a second time period in January.
There was rising scepticism amongst Trump’s Republican Social gathering about continued help for Ukraine.
And Trump had beforehand been impeached throughout his first time period over an alleged risk to withhold navy assist to Ukraine if it didn’t present damaging details about his political rivals — one thing critics say could also be fuelling the present-day discord.
However Trump has stepped up his criticism of Zelenskyy in current weeks. He has additionally tried to steer peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, leading to what some think about early concessions to Moscow.
Trump has mentioned, for instance, that it was “unlikely” Ukraine would return to its pre-2014 borders, earlier than Russia annexed Crimea and began incursions into different territories.
He additionally dismissed Ukraine’s makes an attempt to hitch the North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO) alliance as a non-starter, even repeating Russian speaking factors that Ukraine’s bid was what began the struggle.
On February 12, Trump introduced he had carried out “a prolonged and extremely productive cellphone name” with Putin, and that their two nations would start peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia.
This led to outcry from conventional US allies in Europe, together with Ukraine, which feared being sidelined from the non-public talks.
Then, on February 19, Trump escalated tensions by calling Zelenskyy a “dictator” for not holding war-time elections. Ukraine is beneath martial legislation on account of the invasion, which prohibits elections from unfolding.
All of the whereas, Trump had been pushing Ukraine to grant the US possession over its uncommon earth minerals, which embrace metals utilized in expertise merchandise. Ukraine had baulked on the lack of safety assurances within the deal, nonetheless.
Relations between the 2 leaders got here to a boiling level on February 28, when Zelenskyy visited the White Home to barter the minerals deal.
A information convention within the Oval Workplace devolved right into a shouting match, whereby Trump berated Zelenskyy for not being “grateful” sufficient for US help.
“You’re both going to make a deal or we’re out,” Trump instructed Zelenskyy, whereas additionally remarking, “Putin went via a hell of loads with me.”
Russian officers applauded Trump’s remarks, and shortly afterwards, Trump introduced he would droop assist to Ukraine.
On Wednesday, his administration additionally introduced that it might briefly stop sharing the navy intelligence that Ukraine makes use of to trace Russian troop motion, defend in opposition to incoming missiles and deploy rockets of its personal.
An in a single day assault
Within the early hours of Friday, Russia launched a barrage of missiles onto Ukrainian power services, seemingly taking benefit of the present defensive blind spots.
Ukraine reported that, whereas it was capable of intercept Russia’s drones, it was much less profitable in destroying the missiles earlier than they struck.
The assault was the motivation for Trump’s sanction risk, one thing the president himself defined throughout his Oval Workplace look.
“They’re bombing the hell out of them proper now,” Trump mentioned from the Oval Workplace on Friday.
“I put a press release in — a really sturdy assertion: ‘Can’t do this. You possibly can’t do this.’ We’re making an attempt to assist them, and Ukraine has to get on the ball and get a job executed.”
Nonetheless, reporters pressed Trump on whether or not his determination to stop intelligence-sharing with Ukraine allowed Putin to benefit from a second of weak point.
Trump shrugged the suggestion off, saying the Russian assault was a pure response to the state of affairs. He additionally located the assault within the context of his negotiations with Putin.
“I believe he needs to get it stopped and settled, and I believe he’s hitting them tougher than he’s been hitting them,” Trump mentioned of Putin.
“And I believe most likely anyone in that place could be doing that proper now. He needs to get it ended, and I believe Ukraine needs to get it ended, however I don’t see —. It’s loopy. They’re taking large punishment. I don’t fairly get it.”
When requested about whether or not the US ought to supply extra help to Ukraine to assist defend in opposition to such assaults, Trump as soon as once more accused Ukraine of refusing to take part in peace negotiations.
“I’ve to know that they wish to settle. I don’t know that they wish to settle. In the event that they don’t wish to settle, we’re out of there,” Trump mentioned.
Mending fences?
Within the week because the Oval Workplace blowup, Ukrainian officers have tried to fix fences with their US counterparts. Each events are set to fulfill in Saudi Arabia subsequent week.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy additionally despatched a letter to Trump, signalling he is able to signal a take care of the US. He additionally posted related feedback on social media.
“I wish to reiterate Ukraine’s dedication to peace,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “No one needs peace greater than Ukrainians. My group and I stand able to work beneath President Trump’s sturdy management to get a peace that lasts.”
Trump learn aloud a part of Zelenskyy’s letter in entrance of a joint session of Congress, whereas bemoaning the amount of cash the US has invested in Ukraine’s defence.
“The USA has despatched a whole lot of billions of {dollars} to help Ukraine’s defence with no safety, with no something,” he mentioned. “Do you wish to hold it going for an additional 5 years?”
Nonetheless, Friday’s risk of sanctions in opposition to Russia is essentially the most assertive Trump has been in opposition to Moscow because the begin of his second time period.
Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden, had issued a number of sanctions in opposition to Russia throughout his 4 years in workplace, together with measures in opposition to its power sector in his ultimate days in workplace.
Based on the US authorities statistics, the entire US commerce with Russia in 2024 was valued at about $3.5bn. That’s down from $36bn in 2021, the 12 months earlier than the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Al Jazeera correspondent Alan Fisher defined that Trump’s threats of “large-scale” sanctions might be a response to the strain he feels to beef up his response to Russia.
“Many individuals thought that Donald Trump was maybe being too supportive of Russia, was forcing Ukraine into talks, and never placing the identical degree of strain onto Russia,” Fisher mentioned.
“The USA has been main the world beneath Joe Biden with sanctions. Donald Trump hasn’t carried out any new ones since he took workplace.”
However it’s but unclear whether or not Trump will observe via, significantly as he’s anticipated to fulfill Putin within the coming months.
