Moscow (July 15, 2025) – A senior Russian official has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose 100% tariffs on Russian exports if Moscow does not end its war in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, President Trump made the remarks on Monday while meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office. During the meeting, he announced additional weapons assistance for Ukraine and warned of steep tariffs on countries purchasing Russian goods.
President Trump also voiced his disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I don’t want to call him a killer,” Trump said, “but he’s a tough-minded person.”
Reacting to these statements, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Trump had issued a threatening ultimatum to the Kremlin. Medvedev added sarcastically that while the world was rattled and Europe disappointed, “Russia does not care.”
So far, Moscow has not issued any official response to Trump’s warnings.
Meanwhile, a White House official confirmed that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine, the US president plans to impose 100% tariffs on Russian exports and secondary sanctions on other countries buying Russian oil.
In Congress, 85 out of 100 senators are backing a bill that would grant the president authority to impose tariffs as high as 500% on any nation assisting Russia. However, Republican leadership in the chamber is waiting for Trump to take the first step before scheduling a vote.
China and India remain the two largest importers of Russian crude oil.
