U.S. President Donald Trump has turned against Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he once praised as a 'strong leader', as relations between the two countries spiral into an unprecedented confrontational phase.
The two leaders, who once flaunted their close relationship, have now soured to the extent of using tariffs as economic pressure for their diplomatic and security objectives.
On the 14th (local time), President Trump announced a new hardline policy toward Russia during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.
He warned, 'If a (peace) agreement is not reached within 50 days, we will impose very severe tariffs on Russia,' adding, 'The tariff rate will reach 100%, and it will be a secondary tariff as you know.'
At the same time, he revealed plans to provide additional weapons to Ukraine, which is at war with Russia.
Trump emphasized, 'We will send the Patriot missiles they desperately need,' adding, 'However, the expense will be paid by the European Union, and the U.S. will not pay anything. This will be business for us.'
Experts interpret this as a strategy to thoroughly link security support to U.S. economic interests.
That day, Trump expressed deep disappointment toward President Putin in front of the foreign press.
He began by saying, 'I am disappointed in President Putin,' and criticized, 'He speaks beautifully, but bombards people at night. We don't like that.'
Foreign media, including CNN, reported, quoting experts, that 'Trump was greatly angered that he had gone to the brink of peace negotiations four times, but they were repeatedly derailed by Putin's noncooperation.'
The reason this measure has greater ripple effects than before is that it includes secondary sanctions. Secondary sanctions refer to a method that comprehensively sanctions corporations, individuals, and governments of third countries that engage in normal transactions with the sanctioned country.
For instance, applying these sanctions to energy exports, which are the lifeline supporting the Russian economy, would also encompass China, the largest importer of Russian energy, as well as India, Brazil, Turkey, and even some European countries.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker explained in a CNN interview, 'This measure does not directly sanction Russia. It imposes tariffs on countries like India and China, which purchase Russian crude oil,' stating, 'It will have a dramatic impact on the Russian economy.'
China and India are the largest importers of Russian crude oil. These countries will have to choose between either cheap Russian energy or dealing with the U.S., which is the world's largest market and financial hub.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analyzed that due to these sanctions, 'powerful shocks that far exceed the price cap on Russian crude oil could impact the global energy market.'
Some experts pointed out that these sanctions could be a disaster for some European countries, which still have considerable economic dependency on Russian energy.
Reuters reported that 'all European corporations involved in the transportation, insurance, and financial services related to Russian crude oil transactions could fall under the sanctions,' adding that 'the U.S. secondary sanctions could again threaten European energy security and potentially create rifts between the U.S. and European allies.'
There are also warnings that rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia could ultimately lead to a surge in international oil prices, reigniting global inflation.