The fractious relationship between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is now increasingly fracturing from 'good friends' to trade rivals, all because Putin refuses to follow Trump's script!
Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Russia if the country fails to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days, while also announcing a new defense weapons package to Kyiv without involving US spending.
In a press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Monday, Trump referred to the action as 'secondary tariffs' which refers to tariffs on countries that deal with America's enemies.
US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker confirmed that the action targets countries such as India and China that buy Russian oil and is expected to have a significant impact on Moscow's economy.
Trump's move is seen in line with a bipartisan bill in Congress that proposes tariffs of up to 500% on countries that buy Russian oil and gas.
While many technical details remain unclear, including how these secondary tariffs will be enforced, Trump's message is clear: his patience with Putin has run out.
For international observers, this may be Trump's harshest signal yet to the Kremlin.
However, the big question remains: will economic pressure stop the bullets and bombs on the battlefield, or simply add fuel to an already complicated conflict?
