Trump Voices Fury at Putin Over Ukraine Conflict Amid Escalating Tensions

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his «very angry, pissed off» feelings towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to NBC, indicating a significant shift in attitude as the U.S. aims to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

NBC’s Kristen Welker reported that Trump contacted her to convey his outrage over Putin’s recent remarks questioning the future of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—a sentiment Trump himself has previously shared.

During her NBC program «Meet The Press» on Sunday, Welker quoted Trump directly from an early morning phone call.

«If Russia and I cannot come to an agreement to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, and I believe Russia is to blame… I will impose secondary tariffs on all oil imports from Russia,» Trump stated.

Trump expressed to Welker that he was «very angry, pissed off» about Putin’s recent comments regarding Zelensky’s leadership and the suggestion of new leadership in Ukraine.

Since taking office, the U.S. president has been advocating for a swift conclusion to the prolonged war, which has lasted over three years, yet his administration has yet to achieve a significant breakthrough during negotiations with both parties.

Putin dismissed a collaborative U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, and on Friday, he proposed that Zelensky be ousted from power as part of the peace negotiations.

Trump told NBC that while Putin was aware of his anger, he maintains «a very good relationship» with him, and stated that «the anger dissipates quickly… if he does the right thing.»

Relations between Washington and Moscow have warmed since Trump’s return to office, with his threats to reduce support for Kyiv empowering Russia on the battlefield amid its struggling invasion.

Ukraine has accused Russia of prolonging negotiations without any intent to cease its military operations, with fresh assaults reported on the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

Overnight strikes on Saturday into Sunday injured personnel at a military hospital and resulted in at least two fatalities in a residential building, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russian forces have also captured a village located just seven kilometers from the Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, as reported by Moscow on Sunday.

While Kremlin troops have not breached the region’s borders since their offensive commenced in 2022, they have been persistently moving towards it in hopes of making a significant advance.

Having been in power for 25 years and winning elections with no competition, Putin has consistently questioned Zelensky’s «legitimacy» as president, particularly after the expiration of Zelensky’s initial five-year term in May 2024.

Under Ukrainian law, elections are suspended during periods of significant military conflict, and Zelensky’s domestic adversaries have insisted that no elections should take place until after the hostilities cease.

Trump himself has experienced tumultuous relations with Zelensky, labeling him a «dictator,» and they clashed during a live event at the White House just last month.

In his evening address on Saturday, Zelensky attempted to rally international support against Putin.

«For some time now, America’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has remained unanswered by Russia,» Zelensky stated.

«A ceasefire could already be established if there were real pressure on Russia,» he emphasized, expressing gratitude to countries «who recognize this» and have intensified sanctions against the Kremlin.

Both Moscow and Kyiv agreed on the idea of a Black Sea truce following discussions with U.S. officials earlier this week, but Russia indicated that the agreement would not take effect until Ukraine’s allies lifted certain sanctions.

Regarding the potential secondary tariffs, Trump explained to NBC that it would result in a situation where «if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.»

«There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, and a 25 to 50 point tariff on all oil,» he elaborated, though he did not provide additional details.