Donald Trump, the President of the United States has yet again vented out his frustration against the European Union over its oil purchases from Russia. He has asserted that the US is willing to impose even higher and tougher sanctions on Russia. US President apparently seems to be extremely disappointed and infuriated as well with Russia, as he is unable to strike a peace deal or a ceasefire in the more than three-year old Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump since the days of his election campaign had vowed to end the war as soon as he ascends to the position of the President of United States. However, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is only escalating with increasing drone strikes, attacks and devastations ignited from both the sides, despite repeated rounds of peace talks by Trump with both the warring parties.
As an impact of this frustration, lately Trump has crowed that as US is willing to impose more sanctions on Russia, even the European Union should follow the path of Washington and align with the interests of the US. “Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don’t want them to buy oil. And on the sanctions that they are putting on are not enough. I am willing to do sanctions. But they are going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I am doing”, exclaimed Donald Trump, while demanding the Europe to align its actions with the interests of the United States.
In the previous week as well, Trump had also pressed the NATO leaders to stop buying oil from Russia and impose sanctions on the country. He had even asserted that the NATO should impose maximum tariffs on China, around 50 to 100 per cent on China till the Ukraine war ends. He had also said that these sharp tariffs on China will be rectified once the Russia-Ukraine war ends.
“I believe, that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50 per cent to 100 per cent tariffs on China, to be fully withdrawn after the war with Russia and Ukraine is ended. China has a strong control, and even grip over Russia and these powerful tariffs will break that grip”, wrote President Trump on his Truth Social platform.
These statements reflect the fact that Trump deems tariff as a weapon to realize all his geopolitical ambitions irrespective of the technicalities and economic facts prevailing in the global economy. It also seems that Trump is desperately trying to play all the probable cards in order to fulfill his goal of being a global ‘peacemaker’. He keeps shifting his stance and statements with respect to Russia, Europe, China or India. One day he talks of friendship, the immediate other day he threatens to impose tariffs. Where these tariff tantrums of Trump will ultimately reach and what will it yield for the global economy and for the ambitious US President himself, has to be seen!
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