On Monday, the Kremlin announced that Russia and the United States are considering proposals for a possible peace agreement regarding Ukraine, while also aiming to enhance their bilateral relations, even in light of President Trump’s expressed frustration with Putin.
On Monday, the Kremlin announced that Russia and the United States are considering options for a possible peace agreement regarding Ukraine, while also aiming to enhance their bilateral relations. This comes in the context of US President Donald Trump expressing his anger towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a discussion with NBC News, Trump conveyed his irritation following Putin’s remarks questioning the credibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as his suggestion of potentially implementing secondary tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on purchasers of Russian oil.
Subsequently, Trump expressed his disappointment with Putin to reporters, while stating, “I believe we are making progress, step by step.”
In response to Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Moscow continues to engage with Washington and that Putin remains open to maintaining communication with Trump.
“We are actively collaborating with the American side, primarily to restore our bilateral relations, which suffered significantly during the previous U.S. administration,” Peskov was quoted by Reuters.
“Additionally, we are working on implementing certain ideas related to the resolution of the situation in Ukraine. This process is ongoing, but at this moment, there are no specific details we can share. It is a lengthy process, likely due to its complexity,” Peskov further noted.
He mentioned that a call between Trump and Putin could be organized on short notice if needed, although none is currently planned for this week.
Trump, who aspires to be recognized as a peacemaker, has consistently expressed his desire for an end to the three-year conflict in Ukraine and has cautioned about the potential for it to escalate into a global war between the U.S. and Russia.
On Sunday, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb revealed that during a meeting with Trump in Florida on Saturday, he emphasized the necessity of setting a deadline for establishing a ceasefire in Ukraine to facilitate its achievement.
“I left with the impression that he is indeed the only individual capable of brokering peace and a ceasefire, as he is the only one whom Putin fears and, in that regard, respects,” Stubb stated in an interview with Sky News on Monday.
We engaged in extensive discussions regarding the ceasefire and the frustrations he expressed over Russia’s lack of commitment to it.
Oil and Rare Earths
Since assuming office in January, Trump has adopted a more conciliatory approach towards Russia, which has caused concern among Western allies as he seeks to negotiate an end to the conflict.
His remarks about Putin on Sunday indicate his increasing frustration with the stagnation surrounding the 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 oil, specifically on all oil exported from Russia,” Trump stated.
“This means that if you purchase oil from Russia, you will be barred from conducting business in the United States,” he added. “There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, with tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on all oil.”
On Monday, oil prices remained relatively stable as traders assessed the implications of Trump’s threat of secondary tariffs against the world’s second-largest oil exporter.
China and India account for approximately 80% of Russian crude oil exports. Chinese traders reported that they were not concerned by the threat, while Beijing asserted that its partnership with Russia was not aimed at, nor influenced by, external parties. India chose not to comment.
In the context of Trump’s efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, discussions regarding mineral cooperation have been proposed by both Kyiv and Moscow; however, Trump mentioned on Sunday that Zelenskyy was considering withdrawing from a suggested agreement.
Russia and the United States have initiated discussions on collaborative projects involving rare earth metals and other initiatives in Russia, with some companies already showing interest, according to Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, on Monday.
“While there are no specific details at this stage, the interest is clear. The mutual interest is significant as we are discussing projects that would benefit both parties,” Peskov informed reporters.
