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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump attacks Putin over Ukraine onslaught but will he impose consequences?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly said his personal relationship with Vladimir Putin would allow him get through to the Russian president and bring peace to Ukraine. But after Moscow's escalation of strikes on Kyiv over the weekend, Trump wrote Putin's gone "absolutely CRAZY!" "I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him," Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday. By Tuesday, Trump warned Putin was "playing with fire." The comments are the clearest sign yet of Trump's mounting frustration with Putin -- but the question remains whether he will take any punitive action against Russia or if he's making idle threats. MORE: Hundreds of drones attack Russia with impacts, disruption reported in Moscow Asked on Wednesday what the consequences would be if Russia continues its intensified barrage on Ukraine, Trump deflected. "Well, I'm not going to tell you exactly. But the words speak pretty loud," he said. Trump was asked on Sunday if he would consider imposing new sanctions on Russia. The president said "absolutely." The Kremlin responded that Trump's criticism of Putin was an "emotional reaction" and that he didn't "fully understand" their military motives. "Putin's intent has been obvious. He's stated it over and over. He's acted on it. It is to be sure that Ukraine is not a sovereign nation," said William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine currently serving as a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. "He is not a friend of the United States. And this has been clear for a long time. He has been able to play and outplay President Trump all along." "I think that President Trump is recognizing that reality," Taylor told ABC News. "That Putin is not his buddy. That Putin is attacking Ukraine in record numbers of missiles and drones right after speaking to Trump. This is not a serious negotiator. Putin is very clearly not interested in stopping this war." Trump continued to say on Wednesday he was "disappointed" and "not happy" with Russia's onslaught toward Ukraine. "Trump's comments won't necessarily affect the stance either side takes in these talks: the Ukrainians will convey maximum flexibility, while the Russians will stress the concessions they expect Kyiv to make. Where you could see a change is in the U.S. attitude toward new sanctions or new aid to Ukraine," said Stephen Sestanovich, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who served as the State Department's ambassador-at-large for the former Soviet Union. Trump had promised to end the war on Day 1 in office -- a pledge he later said was hyperbolic. He's come under heavy scrutiny for making public demands of Ukraine, including that it give up the goal of NATO membership and possibly conceding some territory gained by Putin's forces, while not doing the same with Russia. An hourslong phone call between Trump and Putin last week yielded no major breakthroughs. Putin said he was ready to work on a "memorandum on a possible future peace agreement" but showed no signs of making concessions. Trump had said after that call direct talks between Ukraine and Russia would start immediately and possibly be held at the Vatican. Russia later rejected the Vatican as a location. MORE: Putin 'playing games' with US peace talks, Zelenskyy says amid drone attack Retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine, told Fox News this week that new Russia-Ukraine talks could take place in Geneva -- perhaps involving Trump, Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On the "memorandum" mentioned by Putin, Kellogg said Ukraine has given their version of the document and "now we need to get the same from Russia." Trump on Wednesday said he would sit down with Putin and Zelenskyy "if it's necessary." Asked if he still believed Putin really wants to end the war, Trump sidestepped. "I can't tell you that," Trump said. "But I'll let you know in about two weeks. Within two weeks. We're going to find out very soon. We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not. And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks." Trump made similar comments back in April wondering if Putin was "tapping" the U.S. along, and warned they'd take another tack if so, though nothing has substantially changed since then. "Trying to read Putin's mind is a risky business, but right now he seems to think he can pretend to negotiate without limiting his military attacks and that Trump will hold off on new sanctions or new weapons," Sestanovich said. "If Trump thinks Putin's approach shows considerable disrespect for him, well, he's right." Trump's threat of additional sanctions is one he's made previously, though he's yet to implement them and did not join European countries when they announced last week their own sanctions package against Russia. On Wednesday, Trump was asked what was stopping him from imposing new sanctions. "Only the fact that if I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that. Let me tell you, I'm a lot tougher than the people you're talking about," Trump told reporters. There is growing support for economic pressure on Russia among Republicans. In the Senate, a bill from South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham that would impose sanctions on countries that buy Russian energy has more than 80 co-sponsors. "This is not the time for more 'Vladimir stop.' This is not the time for questions of concern about being pissed off. Those times are passed," said Taylor. "Now is the time, if President Trump is serious, and I think he is serious about ending this war, now's the time for him to take action." MORE: Russia is preparing new offensives, according to Ukraine intelligence: Zelenskyy Yet just last week, after speaking with Putin, Trump floated he might "back away" from talks completely -- and leave it Putin and Zelenskyy to sort things out themselves. Such a move would be a win for the Russian leader, analysts say. "That said, I don't think that President Trump and the administration will walk away because this has been the top priority since before the election and for President Trump to throw up his hands, essentially give in and give up to President Putin, would be an admission of defeat, admission of loss, would give President Putin a big win and would be a stain on President Trump," Taylor said. Trump attacks Putin over Ukraine onslaught but will he impose consequences? originally appeared on
a day ago
- Politics
Trump attacks Putin over Ukraine onslaught but will he impose consequences?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly said his personal relationship with Vladimir Putin would allow him get through to the Russian president and bring peace to Ukraine. But after Moscow's escalation of strikes on Kyiv over the weekend, Trump wrote Putin's gone "absolutely CRAZY!" "I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him," Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday. By Tuesday, Trump warned Putin was "playing with fire." The comments are the clearest sign yet of Trump's mounting frustration with Putin -- but the question remains whether he will take any punitive action against Russia or if he's making idle threats. Asked on Wednesday what the consequences would be if Russia continues its intensified barrage on Ukraine, Trump deflected. "Well, I'm not going to tell you exactly. But the words speak pretty loud," he said. Trump was asked on Sunday if he would consider imposing new sanctions on Russia. The president said "absolutely." The Kremlin responded that Trump's criticism of Putin was an "emotional reaction" and that he didn't "fully understand" their military motives. "Putin's intent has been obvious. He's stated it over and over. He's acted on it. It is to be sure that Ukraine is not a sovereign nation," said William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine currently serving as a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. "He is not a friend of the United States. And this has been clear for a long time. He has been able to play and outplay President Trump all along." "I think that President Trump is recognizing that reality," Taylor told ABC News. "That Putin is not his buddy. That Putin is attacking Ukraine in record numbers of missiles and drones right after speaking to Trump. This is not a serious negotiator. Putin is very clearly not interested in stopping this war." Trump continued to say on Wednesday he was "disappointed" and "not happy" with Russia's onslaught toward Ukraine. "Trump's comments won't necessarily affect the stance either side takes in these talks: the Ukrainians will convey maximum flexibility, while the Russians will stress the concessions they expect Kyiv to make. Where you could see a change is in the U.S. attitude toward new sanctions or new aid to Ukraine," said Stephen Sestanovich, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who served as the State Department's ambassador-at-large for the former Soviet Union. Trump had promised to end the war on Day 1 in office -- a pledge he later said was hyperbolic. He's come under heavy scrutiny for making public demands of Ukraine, including that it give up the goal of NATO membership and possibly conceding some territory gained by Putin's forces, while not doing the same with Russia. An hourslong phone call between Trump and Putin last week yielded no major breakthroughs. Putin said he was ready to work on a "memorandum on a possible future peace agreement" but showed no signs of making concessions. Trump had said after that call direct talks between Ukraine and Russia would start immediately and possibly be held at the Vatican. Russia later rejected the Vatican as a location. Retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine, told Fox News this week that new Russia-Ukraine talks could take place in Geneva -- perhaps involving Trump, Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On the "memorandum" mentioned by Putin, Kellogg said Ukraine has given their version of the document and "now we need to get the same from Russia." Trump on Wednesday said he would sit down with Putin and Zelenskyy "if it's necessary." Asked if he still believed Putin really wants to end the war, Trump sidestepped. "I can't tell you that," Trump said. "But I'll let you know in about two weeks. Within two weeks. We're going to find out very soon. We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not. And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks." Trump made similar comments back in April wondering if Putin was "tapping" the U.S. along, and warned they'd take another tack if so, though nothing has substantially changed since then. "Trying to read Putin's mind is a risky business, but right now he seems to think he can pretend to negotiate without limiting his military attacks and that Trump will hold off on new sanctions or new weapons," Sestanovich said. "If Trump thinks Putin's approach shows considerable disrespect for him, well, he's right." Trump's threat of additional sanctions is one he's made previously, though he's yet to implement them and did not join European countries when they announced last week their own sanctions package against Russia. On Wednesday, Trump was asked what was stopping him from imposing new sanctions. "Only the fact that if I think I'm close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that. Let me tell you, I'm a lot tougher than the people you're talking about," Trump told reporters. There is growing support for economic pressure on Russia among Republicans. In the Senate, a bill from South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham that would impose sanctions on countries that buy Russian energy has more than 80 co-sponsors. "This is not the time for more 'Vladimir stop.' This is not the time for questions of concern about being pissed off. Those times are passed," said Taylor. "Now is the time, if President Trump is serious, and I think he is serious about ending this war, now's the time for him to take action." Yet just last week, after speaking with Putin, Trump floated he might "back away" from talks completely -- and leave it Putin and Zelenskyy to sort things out themselves. Such a move would be a win for the Russian leader, analysts say. "That said, I don't think that President Trump and the administration will walk away because this has been the top priority since before the election and for President Trump to throw up his hands, essentially give in and give up to President Putin, would be an admission of defeat, admission of loss, would give President Putin a big win and would be a stain on President Trump," Taylor said.
Al Manar
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Manar
No Talks with Europeans If They Insist on Zero Enrichment: Iran FM
The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reaffirmed his country's firm stance on its uranium enrichment program, saying that if Europeans insist on a 'zero enrichment' position, further negotiations on the nuclear issue will be impossible. 'They need to clarify their own responsibilities. We are not joking with anyone when it comes to enrichment,' Araghchi said on Wednesday. Elaborating on his latest message posted on X, Araghchi explained that his remarks were a direct response to a British official's statement regarding 'zero enrichment' by Iran. He pointed out that Iran has maintained talks with European nations, but if their position on zero enrichment remains unchanged, negotiations will cease. The remarks came after British Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson said during a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C. that 'Britain strongly supports [U.S.] President [Donald Trump]'s initiative in negotiating away these enrichment and related facilities in Iran.'
See - Sada Elbalad
2 days ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Warnings of a Global Gold Rush Amid Escalating US Trade Tensions
Waleed Farouk As US President Donald Trump escalates trade pressure by announcing his intention to impose new 50% tariffs on European imports, a US think tank has warned that these policies could push several countries—particularly emerging markets—to adopt gold as an alternative to the dollar in the global financial system. According to an opinion piece published by Kimberly Donovan, director of the Economic State Initiative at the Atlantic Council, and Maya Nikoladze, deputy director, many countries have already begun to seek safe alternatives outside the dominance of the dollar, with gold at the forefront of these alternatives, whether through physical reserves or digital instruments backed by the precious metal. "Many countries, including US adversaries, are now using gold to circumvent US sanctions and finance activities that threaten US national security," the article states. Unprecedented Rise in Central Bank Gold Purchases The authors noted that central banks around the world continue to boost their gold reserves. Data from the World Gold Council showed that purchases during the first quarter of 2025 reached 243.7 tons, a 24% increase over the average of the past five years, despite a slowdown compared to the peak of purchases in 2022. Russia is a prominent example of this trend. The Russian Ministry of Finance is believed to be purchasing gold from domestic producers in an undisclosed manner to bolster its reserves. Gold is also used in informal trade with countries such as the UAE and Turkey, according to the report. Gold-Backed Digital Innovations: Cryptocurrencies Enter the Game The issue is no longer limited to gold reserves alone. Recent trends have emerged regarding the use of gold to create stablecoins. This month, the Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan announced plans to launch a gold-backed stablecoin, USDKG, in the third quarter of 2025. The USDKG will be fully backed by gold reserves worth $500 million, with a goal of reaching $2 billion. Holders of the currency will be able to exchange it for gold, cryptocurrencies, or fiat currencies, enhancing the ability of this small country—where foreign remittances account for a third of its GDP—to conduct cross-border transactions without going through the US financial system. US Concerns Over Loss of Control Over the Global Financial System The report warns that gold-backed digital currencies—especially in countries subject to sanctions, such as Russia, or those with which it has financial ties—could be used as tools to evade Western sanctions, given the lack of US oversight. The report stated that Russian interest in the USDKG system in particular could be a means of accessing technologies subject to Western restrictions, through an alternative financial system that does not pass through the dollar or US banks. A Call to Rethink US Economic Policies In concluding the analysis, the authors urged the US administration to move away from punitive policies that push countries to seek alternatives to the dollar, particularly gold, and called for strengthening financial stability by supporting economically weak countries and expanding trade and investment ties with them. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
New Statesman
2 days ago
- Business
- New Statesman
Even Peter Mandelson thinks globalisation is dead
Photo byIn 2005, Tony Blair said debating globalisation was as worthwhile as debating whether autumn followed summer. Twenty years later, his old cabinet minister Peter Mandelson, now Britain's ambassador to America, gave a lecture pronouncing the demise of 'hyper-globalisation'. Trump, it seems, has the power to reorder the seasons. Mandelson is integrating well into Trump's America. The last time he was in public he was grinning through a car window on the White House driveway, moments after the president praised his 'beautiful accent' as they signed a deal on tariffs in the Oval Office. He was soon being heralded back home as a Trump whisperer. Mandelson's profile soared, even as evidence of a Special Relationship dwindled. There's an irony to Mandelson's mission in Washington: he has been tasked with shepherding Britain through Trump's dismantling of the very global system which he helped to create. He was the EU's trade commissioner between his slots atop the pro-globalisation New Labour government. Now, on the 11th floor of the moneyed Atlantic Council, he said the World Trade Organisation rulebook is unfit for the 21st century, and that Nato must go through a 'reinvention'. The institutions he had spent decades building up were crumbling around him. Washington's old diplomatic guard had gathered to hear how the Special Relationship would endure this tumult. Mandelson's prescription is for the UK to prove its 'huge usefulness' to America. Britain must become 'less dependent [on the US] but still inseparably linked'. The country is not torn between the EU on one side and America on the other. Instead, the UK can 'serve' – his word – both allies. Labour's strategy has been to hug Trump desperately close. Mandelson said he 'could not complain' about the administration's welcome. He meant that they'd treated him well – but it's also literally true: complaints in Trump's Washington do not go unpunished. His call for Britain and America to renew their 'vows' over the coming months was an unfortunate metaphor for a president with a predilection for divorce. Nonetheless, Mandelson is more candid than a traditional diplomat, happy raising a telling eyebrow, or alluding in answers to his regret over Brexit – a political dart no traditional civil servant would publicly throw. This authenticity suits Trumpland, where respect for procedure is long gone. Ditto that soporific drawl. Beneath the accent, and the dire prognosis for globalisation, Mandelson's message was temptingly optimistic – and specific: the Special Relationship will be revived in the labs of Silicon Valley. Where once globalisation was both inevitable and beneficial, now Britain's saviour will arrive bearing Artificially Intelligent robots. Mandelson is positioning the UK for a big deal on technology; he talks of the tariff deal as a precursor to something more substantial. This speech sounded like an invitation to America's technologists to realise his techno-futurist vision of Britain as 'an AI-driven, new model economy for the 21st century.' Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe If Mandelson pulls off some such deal then his influence would extend far beyond the sphere of a traditional ambassador. He would be shunting the British economy into Silicon Valley's fiefdom. [See more: Meet Britain's Joe Rogan] Related
