Donald Trump is turning up the heat on Russia over the war in Ukraine, threatening new sanctions. At the same time, his administration insists on signing an agreement with Kyiv on the extraction of rare earth metals, which has caused tensions with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In addition, Trump is preparing sweeping tariff restrictions on all countries, and the prospects for peace talks remain uncertain.
Trump threatens Putin with tough sanctions over Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump has expressed deep dissatisfaction with Russian leader Vladimir Putin's actions over the war in Ukraine. He threatened to impose significant tariffs on Russian oil if a ceasefire agreement is not reached within a month. Trump proposed imposing tariffs of 25-50% on countries that buy Russian oil and stressed the need to set a clear deadline for the cessation of hostilities.
Tensions between Trump and Zelenskiy over minerals deal
Donald Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of serious consequences if he refuses to sign an agreement on joint mining of rare earths and other minerals in Ukraine. The deal is seen as a step towards ending the war, but negotiations have been suspended due to tensions between the two leaders. Zelenskyy noted that the agreement has undergone numerous changes, which has lowered expectations for its imminent signing.
Russia announces talks with US on rare earth metals
The head of Russia's private equity fund, Kirill Dmitriev, also reported the start of talks between Russia and the United States on joint mining of rare earth metals. According to him, the possibility of American companies participating in such projects in Russia is being discussed.
The statement came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a new version of the agreement with the US on minerals had been signed. According to this, Washington plans to create a joint investment fund for the development and reconstruction of Ukraine without any debt obligations to the United States.
Prospects for peace talks remain uncertain
The Kremlin sees efforts to end the three-year war with Ukraine as a "long process". Despite Trump's disappointment, no concrete progress has been made in the peace talks. Russia rejected the US proposal for a full 30-day ceasefire and set strict conditions for a partial truce.
Trump announces new tariffs for all countries
US President Donald Trump announced his intention to introduce sweeping tariffs that will affect all countries without exception. He plans to announce the decision on 2 April, calling it a "day of liberation".
According to Trump, the United States will impose retaliatory tariffs on countries that have already imposed tariff barriers on American goods. The move continues his policy of economic protectionism, which has already included tariffs on aluminium, steel, cars and goods from China. White House economic adviser Kevin Gassett said the new tariffs would apply to about 10-15 countries that have the largest trade imbalance with the United States.
Author: Danylo Pievchev