Trump's Patience With Putin Runs Out? 500% Tariffs, 'Sledgehammer' Sanctions Under Consideration
Trump's Patience With Putin Runs Out? 500% Tariffs, 'Sledgehammer' Sanctions Under Consideration
'Putin Talks Nice, Then Bombs Everybody'
"Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, clearly expressing his growing frustration with Moscow’s continued aggression.
The proposed bill would allow Trump "to go after Putin's economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine", Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said while speaking on CBS News Sunday. "It would give President Trump the ability to impose 500 percent tariffs on any country that helps Russia," he added, pointing to nations like China or Brazil that continue to buy Russian goods.
"This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war," Graham said.
Zelenskyy Welcomes Move
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the move, posting on X that "without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty".
Trump, who has long claimed he could work with the Russian leader to end the war, had earlier avoided ramping up sanctions unlike many European allies. But on Sunday, when asked whether he would announce sanctions against Russia, he replied: "We're going to see what we will see tomorrow, OK?"—a reference to his upcoming "major statement on Russia" expected Monday.
The shift in tone comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity. Trump is scheduled to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington, while a US special envoy begins another trip to Ukraine. Senators Graham and Richard Blumenthal are also due to meet Rutte Monday night, where they plan to discuss unlocking frozen Russian assets in the US and Europe.
US Confirms Patriot Defense Systems For Ukraine
Separately, Trump confirmed that the US would send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. "We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need," he said, though he did not disclose how many.
"I haven't agreed on the number yet, but they're going to have some because they do need protection," he added.
Trump also said NATO would cover the cost: "We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military and they're going to pay us 100 percent for them."
"It'll be business for us," he said.
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