US President Donald Trump has made a complete U-turn on his stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that he is "very angry, pissed off" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with NBC, Trump said he was angered by Putin questioning Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s credibility.
“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault, which it might not be, but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” he said.
He warned that tougher sanctions on Russia “would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.”
“There will be a 25 per cent tariff on all… on all oil, a 25 to 50-point tariff on all oil,” he added.
Tariff escalation against Russia and countries doing business with them could be hugely problematic for India. If Putin fails to fall in line and Trump were to go ahead with this threat, India would be unable to do business in the US, as Russia remains its largest oil supplier.
According to a CREA report, India purchased fossil fuels worth EUR 205.84 billion from Russia from the start of the war until 2 March 2025. This included EUR 112.5 billion (USD 121.59 billion) for crude oil, which is refined into fuels like petrol and diesel, and EUR 13.25 billion for coal.
India, which relies on imports for over 85 per cent of its crude oil needs, spent USD 232.7 billion on crude imports in 2022-23 (April 2022 to March 2023) and USD 234.3 billion in 2023-24.
Trump also said he planned to speak with Putin in the coming week.
He also suggested that Putin’s remarks about the need for new leadership in Ukraine could delay peace negotiations. “New leadership means you’re not gonna have a deal for a long time, right?” he said.
Despite his frustrations with Putin, Trump said he had recently spoken with the Russian leader and maintained that he still had “a very good relationship with him.”
Earlier this month, he famously clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a tense Oval Office meeting, accusing him of “gambling with millions of lives” and warning that his actions could spark World War III.
Prior to this, Trump had a lengthy phone conversation with Putin while US officials held talks with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia - without involving European or Ukrainian leaders. This marked a significant shift from previous US policy, which aimed to isolate Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
Trump later appeared to blame Ukraine for the war and referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator” for not holding elections after his official term ended. However, Ukrainian law prohibits elections under martial law.
'Will bomb Iran if they don't sign nuclear deal'
In his NBC interview, Trump also issued a warning to Iran, threatening consequences if it failed to reach a nuclear deal with Washington - a statement that also raises concerns for India.
"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing," Trump said. "But there's a chance that if they don't make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago."
Last year, India signed a 10-year agreement between India Ports Global Ltd and Iran’s Maritime Organisation to develop and operate the Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar.
As part of the deal, India will invest approximately USD 120 million in the port’s development and extend a USD 250 million credit window for infrastructure upgrades.
Chabahar port plays a vital role in India’s trade and connectivity, providing a faster route to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe. Located just 550 nautical miles from Gujarat’s Kandla port, it strengthens India’s access to key global markets.
