WASHINGTON: US president Donald Trump, lengthy recognized for his admiration of Vladimir Putin, has taken a sharper tone in opposition to the Russian chief, although observers say the once-cozy relationship will not be over but.
Trump on Monday (Jul 14) introduced new arms transfers to Ukraine by way of Europe and threatened 100 per cent tariffs on international locations that buy Russian items. Whereas his rhetoric towards Putin has cooled, he stopped in need of endorsing a bipartisan invoice in Congress that will impose tariffs as excessive as 500 per cent.
DISAPPOINTMENT IN PUTIN
Chatting with reporters, Trump mentioned he was “disenchanted” in Putin, who continued to assault Ukrainian cities regardless of what Trump described as common telephone calls between the 2 leaders.
“I’m going residence, I inform the primary girl, ‘You understand, I spoke to Vladimir at the moment, we had an exquisite dialog.’ She mentioned, ‘Oh actually? One other metropolis was simply hit,'” he mentioned.
“I do not wish to say he is an murderer, however he is a troublesome man. It has been confirmed through the years. He is fooled lots of people,” Trump added.
Regardless of the criticism, Trump once more blamed the 2022 invasion on his successor, Joe Biden, and mentioned it will by no means have occurred beneath his management.
TARIFF THREATS AND FRUSTRATION
Trump’s tariff threats are extensively seen as an indication of frustration reasonably than a substantive coverage shift.
“Trump had promised that he might get Putin to the negotiating desk, and he has failed to do this,” mentioned Heather Conley, a former US State Division official now on the American Enterprise Institute.
His new strikes come as a part of what analysts describe as Trump’s try and reassert management over the battle after a public fallout with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this yr.
A DAMAGED IMAGE AS DEALMAKER
For Trump, Putin’s continued aggression has broken the previous president’s self-image as a grasp negotiator.
“For six months, President Trump tried to entice Putin to the desk. The assaults have gone up, not down,” mentioned Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican ally of Trump who helps new sanctions.
“One of many largest miscalculations Putin has made is to play Trump,” Graham added.
