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Trump warns Putin and Iran: ‘I am angry with them. Consequences ahead if course is not changed’

The US president points the finger at the Russian leader for the failure of negotiations in Ukraine and issues a warning to Iran on the nuclear issue

‘I am very angry with Vladimir Putin.’ With these words, US President Donald Trump openly expresses his frustration with the Russian president, accused of being a crucial obstacle to peace negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine. The confrontation between the two leaders is going through a delicate moment, and Trump’s patience seems to have reached its limits.

Trump did not like Putin’s umpteenth attack on Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, whom Moscow continues to call ‘illegitimate’ because of the postponement of the presidential elections in Ukraine. The Kremlin has even advanced the hypothesis of a ‘UN administration’ for the country, a proposal that has aroused the ire of Washington.

In an interview with Nbcnews, Trump reiterated his position by threatening heavy duties on Russian oil, a measure that could further sour relations between the two countries. ‘If Russia and I cannot come to an agreement to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I believe Russia is to blame, I will introduce secondary duties on oil, on all oil from Russia,’ he said. Trump went on to clarify: ‘If you buy oil from Russia, you will not be able to do business in the United States. There will be a 25 per cent tariff on all Russian oil’. A clear and direct warning aimed at hitting Moscow’s energy economy hard.

However, Trump left a glimmer of dialogue open, stating that there will be talks with Putin soon. ‘Putin knows I am angry, but I have a very good relationship with him. Anger can dissolve easily, but only if he does the right thing,’ he added, suggesting that tensions could ease if the Russian leader was willing to compromise.

In the interview, the US president also addressed an equally strong message to Iran. Regarding negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme, Trump used harsh tones: ‘If the Iranians do not reach an agreement, there will be bombings. Bombings like they’ve never seen before’. These words refer to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s decision not to enter into direct negotiations with Washington, a position that irritated the White House. Despite this, Trump revealed that contacts between US and Iranian officials are ongoing, hinting that ‘secondary tariffs’ could also be imposed if no agreement is reached.

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