On Monday, the Kremlin responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s expression of frustration towards Vladimir Putin, stating that both the United States and Russia are exploring potential ideas for a peace agreement in Ukraine and enhancing their bilateral relations.
According to NBC News, Trump expressed his anger on Sunday after Putin questioned the credibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s leadership the previous week.
Trump indicated that he would consider imposing secondary tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on Russian oil buyers if he believed that Moscow was obstructing his efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Notably, China and India are significant purchasers of Russian oil.
When asked about Trump’s remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov affirmed that Moscow is actively collaborating with Washington and that Putin remains receptive to communication with Trump.
Peskov mentioned that a call between Trump and Putin could be arranged on short notice if needed, although no such call is planned for this week.
“We are continuing our engagement with the American side, primarily to restore our bilateral relations, which suffered significantly during the previous administration,” Peskov stated.
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“We are also focused on advancing certain ideas related to the resolution of the Ukrainian situation. This process is ongoing, but at this stage, we do not have specific details to share. It is a lengthy process, likely due to its complexity.”
Since assuming office in January, Trump has taken a more accommodating approach towards Russia, which has raised concerns among Western allies as he seeks to facilitate an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
His remarks about Putin on Sunday highlight his increasing frustration with the stagnation in ceasefire negotiations.
“If Russia and I cannot reach an agreement to halt the violence in Ukraine, and if I believe Russia is to blame… I will impose secondary tariffs on all oil exports from Russia,” Trump stated.
