Vladimir Putin has been sent a brutal warning by a close ally to Donald Trump, as the war of words between Moscow and Washington intensifies. The US President is losing patience with his Russian counterpart, as the fighting in Ukraine drags on with no peace deal in sight.
Despite concerted efforts by the White House to address Russian demands, the Kremlin boss has shown no desire to stop the slaughter on the frontlines. In fact, the Russian President appears increasingly confident he can achieve all his military and political goals in Ukraine, as his forces continue to inch forward. Showing rare anger and frustration at Putin, Trump criticised the Kremlin leader in a recent cabinet meeting at the White House.
The Republican boss told a televised briefing with top officials that “we get a lot of bull**** thrown at us by Putin".
The US President has sought to increase the pressure on Putin in a bid to force him to the negotiating table.
He has signed off on further military aid for Ukraine and is threatening to impose swinging secondary tariffs on all countries buying Russian oil. His close ally, Lindsey Graham, took to the airwaves over the weekend to ram home the message that time is running out for Putin.
The South Carolina senator used an outing on Fox News to issue a brutal warning to the Kremlin tyrant.
"Putin - your turn is coming," he said ominously, before going on to spell out the economic moves Trump is planning to take to sink Russia's war machine. You know Donald Trump is the Scottish Scheffler of American politics and foreign diplomacy and he is about to put a whoppin' on your arse.
"What is going to happen here is that Trump is going to impose tariffs on people who buy Russian oil. China, India and Brazil - those three countries buy about 80% of cheap Russian oil.
"That's what keeps Putin's war machine going so President Trump is going to put 100% tariff on all those countries, punishing them for helping Putin.
"Putin can live through sanctions, he can't give a damn about Russian soldiers, but China, India and Brazil - they are about to face a choice between the American economy or helping Putin. I think they are going to pick the American economy."
