Washington (TDI): Speaking in “Fox & Friends” program of the Fox News, Trump expressed frustration with Putin over failure to reach a peace deal, even after the Alaska Summit, and went on to say that “this is a Europe problem, much more than our problem.”
Trump and Putin met in Alaska on August 15 with hopes to reach some kind of agreement that may lead to a negotiated end to Russia’s war in Ukraine but no chances of a ceasefire or an agreed upon peace plan are in sight.
Trump said that he is running out of patience for Putin and “running out fast.” He also mentioned his good relationship with Putin; something he has brought up on various occasions but even after phone calls and one direct meeting, the Russia-Ukraine crisis does not seem to be headed anywhere.
Trump added that he has done his part by raising tariffs on India to 50% which, he said, was not an easy move as it has created a rift with India – a country that has been seen as a Washington partner.
Read More: US Again Asks G7, EU to Impose Tariffs on Russian Oil Purchasers
“But I’ve already done it. I’ve done a lot,” Trump said, pressing that European countries also need to add up to this effort. Trump’s remarks build on a clear new push by the administration where European bloc is being asked to ramp up tariffs on India and China, in addition to sanctions on Russia.
European sanctions on Russia, already in place, have yielded little outcome and a shared concern now among the Trump administration is that as long as there are buyers for Russian oil, sanctions will not do much. “We’re going to have to come down very, very strong,” Trump said.
Russian oil purchases and Europe indirectly fueling the war economy have brought down an internal storm within the European Union. But imposing tariffs on China and India is even a tougher move as European economies struggle to grasp a balance between increasing defense spending and securing favorable trade with old as well as new partners.
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