MOSCOW — The Kremlin announced Monday that Russia and the United States are working on ideas for a potential peace settlement in Ukraine and improving bilateral relations, despite U.S. President Donald Trump expressing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump told NBC News he was “pissed off” after Putin questioned the credibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The U.S. president suggested imposing secondary tariffs of 25% to 50% on buyers of Russian oil if a peace deal is not reached. Later, Trump reiterated to reporters that he was disappointed with Putin but added, “I think we are making progress, step by step.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed ongoing cooperation with Washington, emphasizing efforts to rebuild ties strained during the previous U.S. administration.
“We are continuing to work with the American side, first of all, to build our bilateral relations, which were badly damaged during the previous administration,” Peskov said. “And we are also working on the implementation of some ideas related to the Ukrainian settlement. This work is underway, but so far there are no specifics that we could or should tell you about. This is a time-consuming process, probably due to its complexity.”
Peskov added that a call between Trump and Putin could be arranged quickly if needed, though no meeting was planned for this week.
Trump, who has consistently stated his desire to be remembered as a peacemaker, has called for an end to the three-year conflict in Ukraine and warned of the risks of escalation into a broader war between the United States and Russia.
Since taking office in January, Trump has adopted a more conciliatory approach toward Russia, raising concerns among Western allies as he seeks a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. His comments on Sunday underscored his frustration over the lack of progress on a ceasefire.
“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault … I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump warned.
He added, “That would be, that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States. There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.”
Oil prices were largely stable on Monday as traders assessed the potential impact of Trump’s threat on Russia, the world’s second-largest oil exporter. China and India, which import about 80% of Russian crude, showed little concern. Beijing reaffirmed that its cooperation with Russia is independent of third-party influence, while India declined to comment.
Amid Trump’s push for a peace deal in Ukraine, discussions around minerals cooperation have emerged, although Trump said Sunday that Zelenskiy was reconsidering a proposed agreement.
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy, confirmed Monday that Russia and the U.S. have initiated talks on joint rare earth metals and other projects in Russia, with some companies expressing interest.
“There are no specifics here yet, but the interest is evident. The interest is mutual because we’re talking about mutually beneficial projects,” Peskov told reporters.
